The Beginning in Kalos
by BardofWorlds
Summary: We've never seen Ash's father ever, what if the reason was because both him and his mother didn't know who he was, what if they had been taken from him? What if he found them, what if he wasn't human? will become Ash-Harem and has own Worldbuilding. AmourShipping Clemont/OC Book 1 Reworked chapter 1
1. Chapter 1

I don't own the Pokémon franchise. I will take credit for the region I created in this story and the Pokémon that are born different on the island then their other counterparts, plus the history of this 'Pokémon world'. I was inspired to write this by the work of another author on own Dracula Pokémon story [thedarkpokemaster = Pokémon: Symphony of the Night]. I am not trying to plagiarize that story, I have nothing but respect for that Author but this story bud started and didn't leave me alone after I watched NETFLICKS Castlevania, so enjoy my work. One final moment, if the Pokémon's gender has not been identified, I will call them 'it'. Now I only made a few new changes and added a single new 'scene' to this chapter, still I hope you've all had a great 2018 and wish you all a great 2019!

This is the rewrite, and I 'm proud to say that I add more to each scene, it really let me remember my vision and I was able to fix a few errors I've grown out of. And that I was able to make my goals for four offerings for Halloween, I hope everyone had a great party here in the good old USA.

Chapter 1

"We must tell the master we've found them!" A voice cried as two figures in black robes ran down a hallway lit by torches. The one is the lead was older than the other, with a look of fierce concentration as he carried a printout. _At last we found them, after all those years of nothing and finally, we found them!_ The older man thought as he ran a look of fanatic pride on his face.

"Old man wait, let's think this through if you're wrong…" The younger one trailed as the one leading the way stopped and spun to face him. _Old fool! He's going to get us both killed at this rate! The chance that he's right is so small that I don't want to tell the master and have him kills us, him for being wrong and me for not stopping him!_ The younger thought before stopping as the older man turned to glare at him.

"I was here when the young lord was born. I saw her face as she held him to our master. I was here when we were attacked by those bastards and the queen and the young master disappeared, when that whore interrupted the lady's teleport and stole them from their rightful place. I KNOW their faces! This is them!" He snarled as the younger back away in fear.

"Fine, on your head is it if you're wrong." He said he put his hands up to calm his older comrade down.

"To think this happened because of one single report." The younger man mused to himself as they rounded a corner and rushed down the hallway.

"And for what reason have you two fools decided to bother our lord?" A sensual voice purred as a pale woman dressed in a red dress that showed off her hourglass figure, twin slits on her dress exposing long white stocking clad legs and high heels who intercepted them. Her lips were painted a blood red, a bang of her blond hair covering her left eye while the rest of it stops at the small of her back. Her right eye blazed red in the gloom, the crimson eye shadow on her eyelids enhance her glare. On her ears were pure black diamonds; while around her neck was a Keystone on a black metal rose. While a pitch black Tyranitar stood by her right, a Houndoom with a crown with red stones on it and a collar with a black stone in it stood to her left; both had a sneer on their faces as they faced down the two men.

"We've found the young master and his mother Lady Camilla. We literally found them while seeing if the current champion would be a problem in the future." The Elder said with emotions and a hint of madness in his eyes.

"So you think you found them this time old one?" Camilla said softly with a hint of exasperation in her voice as her two Pokémon trading looks with each other. They had thought they had found those they lost before, always one thing would lead to a disappointments and failure before, but both hoped that their trainer's _sister_ had been found with her son.

"May I die the death of traitors and fools if I'm wrong about this, but by the Creator this is them!" The elder cried with a look of madness about him. Camilla looked at him and turned towards the younger man who looked at her with an apologetic look and an expression that said he didn't believe what his comrade had found.

"If you're wrong I might send you to the hospital for a mental reevaluation, but let's see your proof first before I do anything." Camilla said with a sigh and a look was shared with her Tyranitar as she rolled her eyes, she and her team had dealt with many fanatics both within their forces and without, but if this fool was wrong and bothered their master, he might be killed, especially since it was so close to the anniversary of the Invasion.

With a deranged smile on his face he showed her the printout, a boy with a Pikachu on his shoulder, a Mr. Mime and a brown haired woman walking out of a restaurant. When Camilla saw the face of the woman her face lost what color she had. _That's Delia… that has to be her, after so long we found them!_ She thought as she got control of her emotions and turning her head she gestured to her Tyranitar to open the doors behind her, before she led the two of them and her Pokémon through the doors.

They entered into a touch lite throne room, paintings in lining the walls of a two teenagers, a man and woman together the man dressed in formal suit, the face of the woman was covered by shadows but the painting showed her wearing a dress which complimented her figure, on her shoulder was a white Zubat and a Poochyena sat next to the man, a grin on its face. At the end of the throne room a man in a fine suit sat upon the throne, his face in shadows with a Mightyena curled up next to the him with its eyes closed while a white Crobat was hanging above an empty throne next to the man

"Why have you disturbed my rest?" A voice echoed from the throne, the dark type opened its eyes to glare at the party as they dropped to their knees before its master.

"We might have finally found your family my lord." Camilla said, her voice caring not a trace of her emotions. As soon as she finished speaking a wave of force seemed to press down upon them as the man's eyes focused all his attention upon the figures before him.

"You have found my son and my queen?" The voice spoke slowly with a hint of anger and rage if they were lying to him. Camilla glared at the two behind her and older one moved forward and began to speak.

"My lord; awhile back while checking the results of the previous Kanto Tournaments I discovered an… incident accrued during one of them, one of the trainers had been kidnapped and barely made it to his match, sadly he lost the match because his Pokémon were exhausted before the battle could even begin. Wanting to find out if THEY were involved I took it upon myself to look into both trainers bios, the victor's was nothing out of the ordinary, nothing that led to any of them, so I put his opponent on a low priority and only received the report a few days later, an average trainer at his first league tournament but checking his legal history, I saw something that concerned me. He came into being a few months **after** the attack; his place of birth was recorded as unknown in all the record the agents I sent could find. Thinking that he was one of the enemy's agents who took a dive for some reason, I sent agents to find out more about him. My lord, what he has done, his accomplishments were such that I thought to mark him as either a possible recruit or a massive threat to your goals, but that changed when I discovered he and his mother had a part in the mass Unown incident in Johto. I was finally able to track down footage of the event and finally saw his face, both his and his mothers'. Final research leaves no doubt in my mind; they are your missing family. Please m'lord, you must only see their faces…" The man reached out holding the printout and the Crobat swooped down, grabbed the picture and dropped it into the hands of the man on the throne who looked at it and the pressure disappeared, releasing the people before the throne.

"And what name has my beloved answered to these long years?" The figure said as he stood up and walked toward the doors the Crobat gliding to rest on his shoulder as the Mightyena walked behind him as his masters followers hurried after them.

"Ketchum, my lord, your Queen and son have live under the name Ketchum. And the impact he has made without his abilities is… remarkable is the only word that could be used. He rode and saved the Beast of the Sea, he saved the Master of the Sky and this was only what we could find proof of. It is amazing that one person could have such an impact on the world without more people knowing." The older man said as he hurried to match his lords' stride.

"Not to mention the number of hearts he charmed." The younger one muttered under his breath not noticing that his master had stopped and turned and looked at him until he heard the Mightyena's growl at him.

"How many young ladies are after my son?" His master enquired as the two Pokémon he was with glared at the fool for his comment. The young fool began to sweet as he saw the looks the Elder and Lady Camilla and her Pokémon were sending him he knew he had to tread carefully, what he didn't need was for his superiors to be too mad at him.

"Many my lord. From Kanto to Sinnoh your child has charmed and drawn to him the love of many maidens though from what the report says, and he even has a modest fan club. Through he seems to not notice what they feel for him." He trailed off as he saw his master's expression start to darken and his eyes to grow hard.

"Camilla, at your discretion you are to redirect any assets in Kanto to my beloveds current residence. They are to send back a detailed report on her daily activities, her Pokémon and her health. Find where my son is and send Lilith to follow him." Their mastered command as he resumed his walk, prompting the three beings to share a look between themselves before following him.

"Lilith my lord? Out of all the people in your command, you wish to send my apprentice? Her age alone; not to mention her lack of experience off our land..." Camilla trailed off as she followed along behind him when the Mightyena looked at her over its shoulder.

"She is to scan my son to see if he anything beyond his natural abilities as my son were taken from him. She is to be sent because her team will let her play whatever role she will need to interact with him. She is to be sent because she is young, loyal and your best student in recent years. And have a Mystic meet the assets before they move to my love's town; I want to know everything so I may regain those who were taking from me. Camilla, call the other Elites to the castle, all fast reaction squads are on standby for deployment as needed, all patrols are to be doubled for the foreseeable future." He ordered as he walked onto a balcony and the Mightyena came to a halt at the doors while the Crobat landed on the railings before him.

"By your will and command, Lord Dracula!" His followers uttered as they left to carry out his orders. Camellia stayed behind for a few seconds, not moving until her master spoke.

"Is there something you need to say Camellia?" He asked as he looked at the moon.

"My lord….Vlad. This doesn't make sense, why would they let her go without someone watching her, why let Ashura travel, why take him in the first place?" Camellia asked as Vlad gripped the railing.

"All things that went through my mind, nothing that I can think of is good." Vlad said. Camellia sighed and nodded her head.

"Could the intelligence we've gotten over the years be truth, they are divided?" Camellia asked as Vlad sighed. _If that is true then what plan are those two a part of to let them move about, what are they after?_ He thought as he looked at the moon.

"Look into that, but for now just do what I ordered, if you find out anything….well you know what to do." Vlad said prompting Camellia to bow and walk away; leaving him with his Crobat who cooed at him. Smiling at it Vlad rubbed its head, causing it to smile at its trainer before Vlad looked up at the moon overhead.

"My beloved, soon after so long, you and our son will be with me again, and then **they** will know the rage of the old, the wraith of those it sought to destroy and condemn to oblivion. My son I swear" He uttered as he looked down upon both Pokémon and humanoids battling or training in his courtyard, his army readying for war.

 _Where could that girl be, I have to find her soon. Still it was lucky that I already had a few people in Kanto near Pallet, within hours we'll know what to do about the Prince._ Camila thought as she walked out the castle, a clock around her to guard her from the cold. Lilith had not been in the chambers her student/apprenticeship status gave her, given that she hadn't gone on a Quest or an expedition for a new Pokémon or a competition earlier in the day, so she was probably with her friends. The children of Aura might be powerful but when they wanted to play, they were quite excessive about it. Swiftly moving through the town she noticed a few fliers for a party at a restaurant, a celebration in honor of the Founding Day, knowing Lilith she would have been dragged there by that cousin of hers to find someone. At the edge of the street that led to the restaurant she stopped for a minute, memories flowing before her eyes.

" _Come on Cammy, Mrs. Lunaras said she'd finally teach us how to get that spice mix right today!"_

" _Delia, didn't you say you'd drag your brother instead of me next time Mrs. Luaras has a new class!?"_

" _I WAS! BUT THAT LITTLE BRAT FINISHED HIS SHOCKER SEAL!"_

" _SO I WAS YOUR SECOND CHOICE?!" A brown haired female teenage in a black shirt and tights pulled a blond girl with a scowl on her face in the same outfit down the street._

A smile formed on her face as the memories faded. That had led to the events where the two of them had gotten their partner's eggs, showing that once again D had started a chain of events that ended with an adventure and danger, their teenage years together in a nutshell. But if not for those adventures, she wouldn't be who she was and D wouldn't have fallen in love with him.

"Don't worry D, you'll be home soon." Camilla said as a blood tear dropped down her face as she walked into the restaurant. Letting her eyes scan the crowded room, she finally noticed a table in the corner, a Lycanroc Midnight form with sunglass on, Lilith's cousin's partner. Time to breakup this party, time to give her student her marching orders, take her to the gate to the plane she had ordered ready when she left the castle, time to take a chance.

A girl with red and white streaks in her black hair in a modest black dress with purple lipstick and eye shadow leaned back and pushed out her breasts and smiled at a male survivor who walked away with a blush on his face as her a red humanoid wolf like Pokémon giggled. It had red fur on its body with the section of its face which was white with a mane of fur over its back and shoulders sweeping forward to form a crescent moon over its face with two claw shaped rocks pocking out of the mane just below its shoulders on both sides of its body. Next to them a figure in a concealing cloak just shook their head.

"Felicity, do you have to flirt with every waiter here?" The figure asked as Felicity smirked at them as the Lycanroc grinned and chuckled.

"What can I say cousin, if ya got it work it! And besides, not everyone have boys throwing themselves at them." Felicity said only for the cloaked figure to laugh darkly as they shook their head.

"If you know anyway to take him for yourself please, but I know you won't like it to long." The figure said as Camellia walked towards them from behind them. Felicity put a finger on her cheek and thought for a few seconds before she nodded at her cousin.

"You know you might be right. Want to think up a way to get someone else onto his radar?" Felicity asked before Camellia cleared her throat.

"That conversation can happen at a later date girls; I need to talk to my apprentice." Camellia cut in causing all three people and Pokémon to turn and saw her, a smile on Felicity's face as they saw Camellia.

"Teacher, what's wrong?" The figure asked as Camellia sat down at the table.

"Yeah Milady, what's up? It's Founding Day, what's the worst that you could need my cuzz for?" Felicity asked as Camellia handed a letter and to the cloaked figure.

"You need to head to the airport now; you can get what you need there if you need anything at all. Once you're there and ready Flight 003 will take you where you need to go, the details are in the envelope, only open it once you're airborne." Camellia said as Felicity whistled as the cloaked figure got up.

"This is that important teacher that the mission needs this level of secrecy?" The figure asked as Camellia nodded her head.

"If she needs back up or someone to send a message I'm it, got it Lady Camellia?" Felicity said as Camellia turned and sighed before nodding. "Great! Good luck cousin, hope I'll see you when you come back!" Felicity said as the cloaked got up and hugged her before moving through the restaurant towards the street.

Ash opened his eyes and tried to remember where he was. He stood up looked around, wondering where he was and how he had gotten there. He seemed to be in a castle of some kind, and it was night, the moon was shining through a window to his right. The last thing he remembered was going towards his home; he had just gotten back from Unova and could see his mom in the distance. He moved his arm and went still, what the hell was he wearing!? He had on a black suit and pants, his sword, shield and Pokeballs were missing and he couldn't see Pikachu and anywhere around him. He saw a light in the distance and walked towards it. _Well here I go again, knocked out and lost with no weapon and none of my team, I wonder what the story behind this is. And of course there's a light for me to go to, a trap but I so love to break them and make those idiots that try to hold me down curse their life choices. At least I might learn where I am and hopeful where my Pokémon are._ He thought as he started walking until he reached the open door the light came from and walked through onto the right side of the top of a two sided grand staircase at the end of an entrance hall with statues of knights in full armor holding shields and upright spears. Ash walked down the stairs when suddenly he stopped when he reach the landing, he wasn't alone. He noticed a shadow falling out of the door on the top left side of the stairs and wondered if this person was who had brought him where ever he was.

"All right, who's there? I might not have my weapon or partner, but I won't go down easy!" He called out to the figure casting the shadow. He was met with a laugh that sounded feminine, had an edge that made him feel warm, strange and sounded familiar. _Where have I heard this voice, wait that's!_ Ash thought as he went still and realized just from _who_ he had heard that a laugh like that before.

"Misty, Misty is that you?!" Ash cried as he ran up the stairs towards the shadow, only to see it disappear. He ran through the doorway and notices a door closing farther down the hallway. _How had she run that fast, I know she was in good shape but when did she get that fast._ Ash thought as he approached the doorway he had seen. He opened the door and walked into a colossal library that took up three levels. He looked at the book cases and saw the section he had entered near was titled 'Legends of The World'. He walked towards the books and ran a hand over the titles, marveling at the collection he was before. Looking around he saw rows of books from every subject from History to Zoology. Looking through the 'Legends' section he saw everything from books on ancient cities lost to time to folklore from varies regions.

"This is amazing, texts from every region, all grouped by subject matter. This is just….Wow, just wow. The size of this collection, this is just amazing, the number of books and subjects. Man, May would love this." Ash marveled as he looked around. E _ver since she hatched Manaphy, she's been looking into this stuff whenever we hit a Center, and she took on quite a few quests to get access to tomes like this, I wonder just how many you'd have to do just to learn about half of this._ Ash thought as he walked towards a railing next to a spiral staircase. A book was on a table near a chair that was and he looked at it and noticed that Dr. Eve had written it, its title was 'A Discovered History of Pokémopolis'. _I remember that, the first time I fought something that wasn't alive. Wished it was the last through._

"You know I loved Dr. Eve's tome on Pokémopolis, it was amazing and she had left a dedication to a 'Trainer with a Pikachu who saved my life', that wouldn't have been you was it Ash?" A voice purred from below made him stop cold, she sounded different but that was May, why was she here too?!

"May? May what the hell are you doing here?!" Ash called as he ran down the stairs, a melodies laugh was his only replay until he noticed a shadow passing through a doorway deeper into the castle. He paused before moving after the shadow, his thoughts racing as he stood there. _May's here too?! And what was wrong with her voice, it sounded different then the last time I heard from her. And the way she said my name, I I liked how she said it, what's wrong with me?_ Ash shook his head and moved towards the door and followed after his friend, hoping to find out what was happening here.

Ash left the library and entered a hallway that had a single doorway at the opposite end. He walked through the darkened corridor and stopped at the doorway, he looked around, trying to find any other way to go then the one he had been led down, seeing nowhere else he could go, he opened the door and entered the room beyond.

He came into what looks like a design studio of some kind; manikins of both humans and Pokémon were all around with a half-finished dress on a Buneary manikin and a black dress on a human manikin. He saw the dress showed off the top of the manikin's breasts and had a slit on the right side from the thigh to the bottom. Ash walked to the human manikin and compared the shade of the dress with what he was wearing, frowning as he saw the shade matched. _What does this mean; is there a connection to these cloths and why I'm here? Is this like that time in Kanto when May was kidnapped by that scumbag? But why was I left in that hallway alone? It would make more sense if it was a dungeon or a jail of some kind and a recording for the scum to gloat. So what is this?_

"You know Ash, since I met my _sister_ and we talked about our interests and skills, the two of us decided to work together and make a brand. And how do you feel about us wearing our designs for the ceremony?" A feminine voice from the right caused Ash to turn sharply and move straight towards where the voice had come, hoping he would catch his friend this time.

"Dawn! Dawn where are you!? And what ceremony?!" Ash screamed as he charged through the door the voice had come from. _This time it's Dawn! Who do I run into next, Iris?! And what sister?! She's an only child!_ Ash's thoughts ran around in circles as he looked about for any signs of where she had gone he turned and saw a door was open farther down from where he was. He looked around the hallway, noticing closed door ways and an opened door that led into an Olympic size swimming pool with a waterfall feeding into the pool with a staircase leading to the top of the falls. Ash looked around and started to get confused. _Okay Ash, think this through, So far you 'found' May in library that she would love, a design studio for fashion for Pokémon and humans where you heard Dawn and nearby you find a pool that Misty would love. What is this place, a dream home for my friends?_ Ash said as he walked along the pools edge, looking for anything that would give him a clue where to search next. He looked at the pool and noticed a trail of water leading towards a door and nodded, he would follow the water for now.

He followed the water through the door and down a hallway, stopping at a staircase. He looked around and with a sigh he walked up the stairs thinking he was ready for anything. The room he came into had a small space with a training dummy, a TV in front of a large couch and a glass door to a balcony which bathed the room in moonlight. Books on tactics, Pokémon, history and law were on a bookcase while a small table with six chairs with a few plates with food on them and glasses full of a red liquid. When Ash moved into the room an incredible aroma assaulted his noise, sniffing he tracked to the glasses and walked to the table where he robotically picked up one of the glasses. As he drank what was in the glass an incredible sweet flavor assaulted his tongue as he drank the liquid, Ash shock as the liquid hit his stomach. He dropped the cup which shattered on the floor and put his hands on the table and closed his eyes as a wave of contentment and heat rushed through his body, old aches he had lived with for years disappearing as his body shock. After about a minute his body stopped shaking and he opened his eyes as he panted and tried to center himself.

"What the hell was that; I feel incredible, I don't know if I've ever felt so good before….wait, when were the lights turned on. They're not." Ash said as he looked around noticing that there wasn't a source of light but suddenly he able to see as if the sun was out at noon. He suddenly noticed scents that led into the next room, for some reason the scents made him think of his friends. A cold watery scent that screamed Misty, a hot scent that made images of books and knowledge that seemed to be May, a scent of sweet and fabric that made him think of Dawn and two more scents that he couldn't quite place. He followed them with his noise and looked at a door to the next room. He walked towards the door quietly and was just about to enter it when a feminine hand grabbed him and pulled him into the room and he crashed against a female body, Ash tried to react but before he could open his eyes he heard a voice.

"We were wondering when you'd get here Ash." A seductive yet familiar sounding voice said as arms encircled him.

"May?" He asked as he tried to look towards the voice and was shocked when someone kissed him, a tongue being forced into his mouth. Ash pushed himself back and felt two pairs of arms grab his arms, blushing he felt two girls breasts pressed against his arms.

"Oh sister don't keep Ash all to yourself sister, don't forget to share." Ash heard a seductive voice next to him speak as someone seemed to rub their face against his. Ash pushed back against the person holding him and opened his eyes, staring at what he saw. May and Dawn stood there both wearing a red and blue set of lacy bra and panties, both had crimson lipstick on and were looking at him with a look of hunger in their eyes that caused him to feel light headed as he felt his body react.

"Like what you see Ash?" Dawn asked seductively as she and May moved towards him as he tried to get away.

"Dawn, May what are you two wearing?" Ash asked before he stared and felt a flash of heat as a May and Dawn giggled with a musical tone to it.

"Oh Ash, what matters is that we've finally been honest about how we feel about you and each other." May said with a sensual purr to her voice as she speed her pace and moved to his side causing Ash to move to the right away from her as May and Dawn moved towards him with seductive grins on their faces.

Ash walked backwards and bumped into someone else who hugged him from behind. before he could react he heard giggles from the figure behind him, giggles that sounded like….!

"Don't scare our Ash off so soon, our other sisters aren't here yet." Misty said as Ash turned and she locked their lips together and forced her tongue into his mouth. Ash pushed her off him and looked at her face, noticing her lips were painted a deep crimson and she looked at him with eyes that were filled with…desire? "Misty, where are we, what is this, what are you all doing?" Ash demanded, only for Misty to laugh, a laugh that caused a strange feeling of…. _desire_ to shoot through him as May and Dawn joined in.

"Why would it matter where we are?" May asked with a seductive purr to her voice from Misty's right side.

"What this is it's the fact that all of us have stopped lying to ourselves." Dawn purred from Misty's left side.

"What we are doing Ash, is being honest in the fact that all of us love you." Misty declared as May and Dawn nodded as all three looked at him with a look of hunger in their eyes

"But where are we, this place what is it!" Ash demanded as he swallowed as he felt his heart beat faster as he listened to what they were saying.

"Don't question it Ash, just enjoy the fact that we're here and that we love you." Misty murmured seductively before she kissed him on the lips before darting back as she moved one of her hands around his chest as she moved her head closer to his. "If you've ever felt anything for us, any feeling of love at all, then please kiss me my beloved."

Ash's eyes went wide at Misty's declaration. _This can't be real, it can't. but if it is then….!_ He thought before he closed his eyes pressed his body against Misty and kissed her back with force causing her to moan before she pulled away from him, her arms moving to hold the back of his neck, and he saw that Misty had on a ruby lacy bra and panties like May and Dawn. He was transfixed so much that he stared at her as May and Dawn came to his sides and hugged him, both of them planting kisses on his checks. Ash let himself be led towards a bed and Misty pushed him onto it as the girls climbed after him. As Dawn and May kissed him Misty looked towards the door Ash had been pulled through and smiled.

"Ahhhh sisters, there you are." Misty's words caused Ash to look towards the door, only able to see a flash of white and honey colored hair all he could see before his vision darkened and the room faded out.

"GAHH!" Ash Ketchum cried as he woke from a…dream that he forgot as soon as his eyes opened but he remembered a feeling of…love and pleasure? He had been having dreams he couldn't remember for a while now, they had started after the…Incident at the Tree of Beginnings when he had used his Aura. He had been feeling differently for a while now, he seemed to be able to think faster, and the headaches he had when he concentrated and tried to remember things he had tried to learn about seemed to be a lot easier to handle since then and he was begging to…notice the figures of his female acquaintances, sometimes he would dream of them in variances of Dawn's outfit at the Wallace Coup still haunted some of his dreams. And whenever one of those dreams did happen…

 _Don't tell me._ Ash thought as he winced. He went still for a few seconds before he looked down his bed and saw the stains on it and sighed, so it had been one of those dreams, better clean it up, he was leaving for Kalos today anyway and putting his bedding away would help his mother, anything he could do to help around here was good as far as he was concurred.

"Pika?" His partner asked sleepily as Ash gathered up his blankets from where he slept on a pillow on the floor, after the second time Pikachu had fallen off the bed when they had returned to Pallet he had started to sleep on the ground.

"Just doing some light housework before we leave buddy, its' still early so you can go back to sleep for another hour if you want. I'll make sure you're up for breakfast when it's ready." Ash reassured his Pokémon as he left his room. As he walked thought his house he tried to remember what he had dreamed about, he stopped abruptly when the last part of it flashed through his mind and he blushed and walked on.

"Like that would ever happen, like they would even have feelings for me with how childish I've acted." Ash thought as he walked towards the laundry room.

After he put his laundry in the wash he walked down a hallway and stopped before the kitchen, putting his hand next to a picture of him and his mom at his first day of school. For years it had just been the two of them, but he wondered about his father, but he never found the answer. He remember what he knew of his mothers' past, they had stumbled into Pallet with nothing but the clothes on her back and him in a carrier a few months old, barely past when he needed mother's milk. People had decided after nothing had been found nearby that the they had been attacked by a frenzied Psychic type and her memories were shredded beyond the point of recovery, she had barely remembered their first names let alone where they had come from, and when no missing person or wreckage had been found anywhere nearby it was assumed that the frenzied Pokémon had hit them with a teleport as she tried to get them away from it after it had taken her memories. Thankfully old man Port had taken them in and they had discovered that she was a great cook, taking over the restaurant after he retired, and under her management it became one of the best in the region, restaurant chains trying for years to either get her to work or train their chiefs to her level or to steal her secrets.

 _Dad, where in the world are you, where do mom and I come from?_ He thought to himself as a tear went down his face. His mother's memory problem had been a plague on their lives for years; the pain it caused her was something he hated with all his being. Sure she acted happy and upbeat most of the time, but whenever one of Pallet's little traditions came around, she had such a look of hurt and regret that she had such a void of her own. They had tried to regain her memories by sessions with Psychics, both human and Pokémon, even Sabrina of the Saffron Gym had tried to help her as a favor for the help Ash had giving her, but to her complete surprise she had no luck unraveling a single memory. Sabrina had been apologetic about her failure, wondering as she left if a rabid Pokémon **hadn't** attack them do to the way the mindscape had felt to her. Ash had been worried about that, so he had delayed his journey through the Unova region for a few days to spend them 'training and studying' when he had really done a quite circle of Pallet, using some tricks Jackie, a Pokémon Ranger he had befriended had showed him after the mess with Manaphy to see if anyone had been observing the town and his mom, he found nothing so he decided to head out again after telling Mr. Mime to be vigilant, but had been sidetracked with an Emergency Quest for trainers by the local police. He wondered sometime what had happened to them, what kind of life he could have been leading if his father was around, if his mother had her memories, if they were where she had started to make a life with his father. With a sigh he moves on, a bit further down the hall he saw the lights were on in the kitchen, she was probably awake then.

"Getting an early start Ash?" his mother smiled at him when he walked into the room and got the plates they would need down as she finished up, her job as the owner of Pallet House showing in her cooking.

"Eh, yeah I guess I'm a bit anxious to meet Alexa at the airport." Ash said as he blushed as he set the table. _I don't want to tell mom anything about the dreams I've been having, the talk she gave me before I left the first time was nightmare inducing enough on its own, and then there's what she says about the girls! I don't need to give her any ammo to tease me!_ Ash thought as he looked anyway but at his mother. He saw Mr. Mime leave in the direction of his room with a nod to him, signaling that he was going for Pikachu, giving him a few minutes alone with his mother.

"Anything new happening at Pallet House mom? Any new hires or spies?" He enquired as she brought the food to the table and sat down across from him.

"Well Joan went on vacation about a week ago so she should be back in a few days from the Orange Islands, I asked her to stop by the farm there we get our oranges from to look over a few things and deliver some paperwork, much cheaper and more reliable than having to hire someone to do it. We took on a new girl an about your age named Albia, I think she wants to learn how to 'cook from the best' but she's been edgy and skittish, she might be running from someone so I'm a bit worried. There is a new pretty boy whose been coming to the restaurant every day I'm on server duty for the last three weeks, I think he's from Hoenn given his accent, maybe either trying to seduce me or spy, I haven't decided if I act like he's having any luck or act completely oblivious about it." Delia giggled as she winked at Ash who sighed in exasperation at how his mother dealt with those people.

"And the last guy who tried to seduce you, has he gotten out of that Mental Institution yet? " Ash asked with a smirk on his face as memories played behind his eyes.

"Poor Benny, who knew those Beedrills love onions so much, and that someone put onion extract into that shampoo and for his car to break down right next to the colony and wake them all up, that poor, poor man. But then maybe he shouldn't have insulted the son of his employer." Delia laughed as Ash joined her before putting some food in Pikachu's dish as Mr. Mime led him in as they started their meal and put the local news on.

A few hours after the meal ended Ash finished his laundry, got his belongs together, grabbed his bag and walked toward the door with a confident walk. Each League he had challenged he had gotten farther than the one before. But then as long as he trained his team and kept his trust in them, they would always give it their best together.

His mother was waiting for him at the door, a proud smile on her face. Even though it had just been the two of them for years and yes, it had been hard, but they had created lives they could be proud of. Her son was such a good and loyal young man, always helping people even if he just met them. And he was so brave, jumping into danger to help people or Pokémon in need; he was just like his father when… As soon as that thought hit her she slumped against the wall as a terrible migraine hit her as her hands wrapped around her head.

"MOM!"

"PIKA PIKA!" Ash and Pikachu both cried as they ran for her. Ash grabbed her and led to a chair as Mr. Mime got a glass of water and her medicine; she gulped it down and moaned as she clutched her head.

"My book, I need my book." She whimpered as she rubbed her forehead. Ash spared a look with Pikachu before he went to her room and returned with a journal that the local doctor had suggested she kept to write down what she could remember from her episodes, a way to keep hope. Opening to a page mark 'V Husband' she wrote down "brave and helps others". She looked the book over after she had finished writing and rubbed 'V Husband'. A single letter and still no idea of where he was, not a single thought about where she had come from beyond the words "Sea of", "Moon's Shadow" and "Time of Love". But she didn't keep those words in this book, awhile back she discovered that the book she wrote in didn't have the invisible ink drawing she had doodled on the back. She had had gotten a few different invisible pens and over the years made marks on the back cover when no one was around, not even Mimmy or Ash knew about it, something that she felt was for the best for a reason she couldn't explain or even think about without a triggering one of her bad attack.

"You know mom, I could stay a few days, and I could call Alexa and tell her I couldn't make it. It wouldn't affect my journey that much to hit it alone without an introduction to her sister. The airlines would let me change my flight to a latter one without too much trouble." Ash began before his mother shook her head,

"Ash, no. I've dealt with attacks while you were gone before and Ginny is due back later today, I'll be fine, I'm not on schedule for cooking or waitressing for a few days, I will be fine and Mimey will call Ginny and the Professor if anything happens." Delia said as she smiled at her son, he always tried to take such care of her.

At the edge of Pallet town in the trees a Weavile wearing a belt finished placing a long range camera pointing toward the Ketchum's house. With a smirk on its face it finished tying it to the tree so it would have an unobstructed view of the front and path, everyone who came to visit would be seen and logged. The Weavile quickly climbed down the tree and knocked on the wood, signaling a nearby waiting Luxray and Zoroark wearing a collar around its neck with a camera on it that pointed in the direction of its head. Nodding to the Zoroark the Luxray took off into the shadows of the forests, dashing through the shade of the trees as the Zoroark formed an illusion around itself as it moved toward the road, heading down wind, ready to shadow Ash when he left. With a grin on its face the Weavile climbed back up to the tree, stopping when it reached a waiting Noctowl and a Haunter that were watching the house, the Weavil flashed them a smirk that was answered by a nod from the Noctowl and a chuckle from the Haunter before the Weavile climbed into a hollow in the tree where it closed its eyes to rest and wait for the signal for the next stage of the operation.

The Luxray ran through the shadows, dodging the local Pokémon until it reached a cabin at the edge of the wood where a man was sitting at a table, waiting for it. It stopped next to him; he had black hair and was wearing black slacks, a grey shirt with a camera around his neck. With a grin on his face, the man reached down and rubbed the Luxray under its chin before he reached for a laptop and checked the feed from the camera.

"Camera 1 is operational, we'll know where the prince is going soon and once we have eyes and ears inside in a few days we'll have the beginnings of a report for the boss thanks to this plan; you two have a nice lunch and bring me something nice." He said as two women left the house behind him.

"Yeah 'bro', keep your shirt on, we'll bring you back something, maybe some pasta?" The speaker was a woman with black hair in a ponytail that reached the small of her back, she wore a white tank top and black slacks with black flats on her feet, and she gave off an air of observation, like she knew everything about everything around her.

"See you later 'daddy'." A woman said with a sensual purr to her voice as she followed the first woman. She wore a tight strapless blue dress that went to her knees that complimented her figure and wore dark blue high heeled boots. She had on red lipstick and purple eye shadow above her blue eyes. She had an air of sophistication that seemed to be at odds with the woodlands, looking like she would be more at home an upper class ball.

"Shouldn't you change before you call me that _young lady?"_ The man said dryly as he looked at her, causing her to look down and give a small laugh as she sweet dropped. She snapped her right fingers and a black sphere covered her, when it faded a young girl under ten in a red dress that reached her knees with red boots stood in her place.

"Can I have spaghetti for lunch 'Aunty Rachel'?" The false girl asked with a scratchy voice as she grabbed the 'older' woman hand and they walked to Pallet Town's 'downtown'.

"Well you have been a good girl lately for 'daddy Tom', Saph." Rachel said with a laugh as she walked with a smirk on her face.

RWS Tom talking to Zor, seeing Ash leave and order to follow and

Tom watched them go and sighed

"Goodbye Mom, take care of yourself and please, go easy today."

"Good luck Ash, don't take to many risks! Well off we go Mimmey."

Two voices echoed over the empty road and the hidden Zoroark smiled as it created an illusion of a shiny Pidgey landing on the roof of the house before it followed Ash. Within the forest the Noctowl saw the 'Pidgey" land and gave a cry, which caused the Haunter to turn invisible and fly toward the house and the Weaviel to get out of the hollow. As the Noctowl took off, the Weavile jumped off the branch and grabbed the Flying-Type's legs as the Owl Pokémon glided to the house as the Haunter reached the building and slipped inside. As the Noctowl started to hover out of sight of the road the Haunter appeared through the wall of the house and signaled to the chimney as the insertion point for the next stage of the operation. The Noctowl flew above it and dropped the Weavile onto the roof before it nodded to its partner, signaled it to keep watch and climbed down into the house. With the Haunters help it was simple to set up audio recorders far enough in the vents that they wouldn't be seen and to slip hidden cameras in the kitchen, the living room and outside her bedroom, no need to get the boss mad about what was being recorded after all. Its job done, the Sharp Claw Pokémon climbed back up the chimney with the Haunter following, when they reached the roof the Weavile smirked at its flying partner, the job was done and went perfectly, time to get out and back to their base.

Zoroark paused when Ash stopped just beyond the hill, just far enough that they could no longer see Ash's home over the horizon. Looking around to make sure no one was watching him he put two of his fingers into his mouth and made a sharp whistling sound that echoed off the trees. Zoroark was wondering when a sudden wind storm buffeted the area! Zoroak hunkered down and watched as a powerful looking large Pidgeot landed and Ash reached out and rubbed its throat as it purred.

"Hey girl, how's the flock? Those bullies leaving you alone or have you had to throw that Fearow out of the air a few more times?" Ash asked as Pikachu grinned at its teammate.

"Pidgeot geot!" Pidgeot cried with a look of superiority as it looked down at its trainer, none of them noticing Zoroak watching from the tall grass.

"You've been handling it, great! Listen I know I usually stop in to check on you before I hit a new region but this time there's more. The news said a hurricane was forming and it might come up the coast. Viridian is shielded by the mountains but Professor Oak's will have all his barns open for the wild Pokémon as usual so I thought I should warn you first. Anyhow, how's the watch been, nothing happening to my mom I should know about but she won't tell me?" Ash asked as the Pidgeot shook its head and looked at its trainer. Ash hummed as he looked down and tried to think about everything.

"Good I guess. Then it's the same as always, make sure that Mom and Mr. Mime don't notice the lookouts you have watching the house and only intervene if you have too. Stay alive and keep flying and I'll tell you all about how the region goes and the next time a tournament is near Pallet I'll use you guys and we blow them away." Ash promised as Pidgeot screeched in agreement before it took off. Ash watched it go and smiled before walking off, neither noticine the Zoroark following them. The as it moved quietly through the grass, the Zoroark pressed a button on its collar to transmit the data back to its trainer, its target was more then he appeared, this might be fun after all. Ash had been moving at a modest pace but it was easy to keep up and stay out of sight as long as it stayed downwind. All it had to do was stay close enough to get a look at where Ash went and get away without anyone noticing, with its skills it was so easy. When Ash reached the airport a copy of the man at the cabin stepped in after him quietly. Following Ash through the building, it noted that he was heading for the long distance travel section, was he going to Alola or Univa? It stopped when it saw Ash walk up to a woman in a chair by a door to the tarmac, and slowly move closer to eavesdrop on them.

"I was starting to worry you wouldn't make it on time Ash." The woman said as she smiled at him as a yellow lizard Pokémon looked on from a chair next to her.

"Alexa, hi. Sorry I'm a bit late; I had to take care of something that happened at home." Ash said as he rubbed the back of his head with a small smile on his face.

"Well they had a little trouble here earlier, so boarding was delayed, so we're not in trouble." Alexa said as she grabbed a camera bag that was next to her.

"Trouble?" Ash inquired as he looked around, as the Zoroark paid more attention to the surroundings, both of them noticed the signs of a Pokémon battle or attack.

"What happened here?" Ash wondered out loud as he looked around, seeing cuts in the walls, holes in the ground and a few windows were broken open.

"They called themselves Team Gaia and…" Alexa started before Ash groaned and face palmed

"Not those idiots again! I thought that we had been taken care of them already!" Ash said as he rubbed his face.

"Let me guess, they attacked the planes because the noise is damaging to Pokémon? The airport's on the burial grounds of a nomadic Pokémon group or something equally as stupid." Ash moaned as Alexa looked at him in surprise at what he was saying.

"I'm guessing that you've met them before?" Alexa deadpanned as Ash sank into a chair and held his face.

"The number of Quests I've done in Pallet and Viridian that were the fault of those idiots is mind boggling. Eco-warriors; the Noble defenders of Pokémon? Ha, more like brain-dead fools who just want to be noticed! They caused so much trouble that about a year ago the local police chief finally had enough of them, gathered all the local trainers and set a bounty on them! I was part of the team called in and I helped the local Jenny on a raid on one of their 'churches', their leader started to monolog but Pikachu just shocked 'em and knocked them out. For all their passion they were surprisingly easy to beat, I almost felt I had to pay Jenny for the Quest, not the other way around when everything was done." Ash said as the call for boarding sounded over the speakers in the hallway.

"How about you tell me everything you know about them, I know a paper back home that would kill for an article like this. It's one whose main following are law enforcement, so letting people know about them might be a good thing." Alexa said as the two of them walked toward the airplane through the doors.

"Just call me Unknown Trained in the article and I would love to, I don't want any of those fools to attack mom's restaurant in retaliation to what I know about them."

"Wait, your mom runs Pallet House?" Ash and Alexa conversed as they boarded the plane, never notice the 'person' who had been listening to their conversation.

The 'man' following Ash noted the plane's company and number and slipped back out the front doors, slipped into the tall and within minutes a Zoroark, leaping into the trees, using the forest's shadows and its illusions to mask its travel as it went to the cabin its trained had rented with her comrades.

Back at the cabin Tom's mouth was opened, staring at the screen in shock as he tried to get what he had just witnessed out of his head. _This kid, he's got a pack of wild Pokémon to protect his mother. I…. don't know just how he got em but man do I have to give him props for that!_ He thought as he looked over the record from the camera feed from Zoroark and just shook his head as he tried to process what he just saw.

"I mean I've heard stories about the boss's grandfather making alliances with wild packs, but this? I can't even begin to understand how." Tom said to himself as he shook himself to try and get his mind off what he had seen. He looked at the other cameras he had his team set up and sighed as he saw that so far nothing more then what he had seen over the last day was on them. _So that explains the powerful Pidgy flock, still if he raised that Pidgeot to be that powerful then I can see why he's a War Potential, somebody that strong has to be investigated so that we don't have any troubles from him._ Hethought as he leaned back. "And to think I thought that nice cushy job in Saffron would be how I would spend the next few months."

He got up when he heard the sounds of his Pokemon returning and smiled. "Give me a minutes gents, after all that work you did I think I'll give you all a good meal. I really, really, hope the girls bring me back something." He muttered as he walked towards the door to let them in, mentally going over the supplies of Pokémon food that they had.

"This is delicious! You guys are so getting a 5 star rating from me." The 'young girl' said with a grin as she ate the food before her. She and her _aunt_ had entered the restaurant and after being led to a booth the waitress had asked if they were new comers to the area, since it was their first visit to the restaurant. They stuck to the cover story they had created; their party was a brother and sister with the brother's daughter. He was a Pokémon Photographer and she was a writer, they were in the area to get some pictures of the local wild Pokémon for a book she was writing about the affect small towns have on wild Pokémon populations. Since it was the height of summer they decided to take his daughter with them, his wife might stop by from her job in Viridian City now and again for a date with her husband while they were in Pallet for the next month or two, depending on how lucky they were with the photos and her observations. After that the waitress had made small talk while she took their orders and left Rachel and Seph alone to let them watch the restaurant as they masked it with small talk about their 'time apart'. The food was the important thing, the combination of spices used tasted like a home cooked meal in the Homeland, either their target was who Lady Camilla hoped or this was the biggest coincidence she had even tasted. After a while a woman with brown hair in a pink top with a purple long skirt trailed by a Mr. Mime walked in to greetings from both the staff and customers, their primary target had arrived.

"Afternoon Delia, you're a bit later than normal and you're a bit pale, you okay boss?" The greater asked as the two walked in.

"Everything is fine Amanda, I just saw Ash off but I had another of my attacks before he left." Delia admitted with a weak smile.

"What attacks?" A female teen with brown hair in a bun dressed in a grey shirt skirt combo asked with a frown on her face as she carried a serving tray under her arm as she walked away from the outdoor tables.

"Remember the 'medical' problem we told you to watch out for with Delia, Albia?" Amanda said as she scowled.

"Problems our boss knows she could stay home and rest, we can handle this place without her here." She continued as she looked at Delia with a scowl, Delia only laughed and smiled with her eyes closed as the others scowled at her.

"Amanda is making a bigger deal out of it then it is. Every so often I get migraines, they're not too bad and I only get them once every few months. Oh, Ginny said she would stop by when she returns to the town, let her by when she comes in. Mimmy we made it so please head back home." Delia said as she moved into the kitchen the girl following after her. The Mr. Mime shoot a sharp look at Amanda and left the building, no one notice that Saph's eyes had flashed a solid black when Delia had entered, or that her grip on the table had tightened after and that she shoot a worried look at her 'aunt'.

"Aunty didn't you promise to bring back something for daddy?" Saph said as Rachel nodded at her.

"Yeah, and since tonight's super is basically leftovers back at the house, how about we grab a few appetizers to make it nicer." Rachel said as she smiled at her 'niece' who smiled back. The two of them didn't notice the guarded looks Albia sent them before she went into the kitchen, the same look she had been giving them since they had come into the restaurant.

Tom smiled as a Zoroark walked through the open door; with it back everyone deployed had accomplished their mission. With a smirk on its face letters formed before it, the information of the flight Ash had boarded.

"Okay, lets' see where the 'prince' is going? Johto? Nay, he could have walked there or taken a bus. Unova then, its gotta be." Tom muttered as he checked the airport's webpage for the destination. When he found it, he jolted in his seat before he started too sweet. _The girls are so gonna not like this, I just know it._ He thought as he looked at his screen. Of all places it had to be that region. With a click and a few minutes to type up a report; he sent the information back home, the jet waiting would get the operative to the target's destination ahead of him, but it had to be one of the "New Worlds". Getting up he started to feed the pokemon, giving them a few treats for a job well done to get him mind off the data he had found.

Tom had just finished feeding the Pokémon and was checking the feed from the remote cameras when Rachel walked in holding a bag with Saph who returned to her older form and started to stalk around as her hands seemed to squeeze something in the air.

"I can't believe it! No self-respecting student of Aura casting would ever create something so, so….so wrong!" Sapphire ranted as she walked back and forth. Rachel shared a look with Tom, seeing the worry she had reflected back at her as he shrugged.

"SAPPHIRE! You will control yourself and tell us what you saw." Rachel said as she grabbed Sapphire's arm to stop her. Sapphire looked back at the others looking around her and sighed, trying to get her emotions back under control before she started to explain.

"There are aura seals on her, from what I saw they are holding back her memories, if they hold back specific memories assorted either by word or years I couldn't say, but they were only starting to break recently, the records show lady Delia was a power Caster so her abilities are probably fighting back against them, however the seals wouldn't have lasted a month on a beginner, yet alone all these years! I can't understand how they're still active! I thought it was a drug that was affecting her, but seals like this?" Sapphire ranted as she sat down. Tom was worried, this seemed. A beep turned their attention to Tom's laptop, with a clicks Tom had the camera in question on the screen to reveal a woman walking up to the Mr. Mime sweeping the front step.

"Woah, woah, who the hell are you lady?!" Tom cut in form where he was checked his laptop, noticing a figure walking toward the Ketchum residence.

"We got somebody coming into the Queen's house, female, she's commanding the Mime, tall, and she's got auburn hair." Tom said as the three of them and their Pokémon crowded around the laptop to watch the camera feed. The Mime Pokémon let in a woman in traveler's cloths with auburn hair in a ponytail with a scar under her right eye walked to a small table and picked up a journal.

"That's her! She was the bitch who attacked the Queen all those years ago during the Invasion! That scar on her check was from Lady Camilla's whip when the tart escaped!" Sapphire spat as they saw the woman page through the journal, and upon finding the newest entry give a small chuckle.

"Those seals have to be strengthened to last so long? It has to be done by a caster, right? This bitch is a caster, right?" Tom said in a flat voice as the party watched the woman take out her own book and make a few notes before putting the journal back from where she picked it up before she left, walking into Pallet. _Oh man oh man, if I'm right then this is what their using to control the Queen, but the prince wouldn't have any of her training so maybe something to hold back his heritage….but Aura can activate easier in people born of those who can use it so something to hold it back, but how?_ He thought as he tried to think of the why and came up empty.

"Yes. Did you send off the report about where the prince is going?" Sapphire answered just as flatly as they watched the woman give commands to the Mime pokemon. That that woman was here and in their target's house and the seals on her had eliminated all doubt in her mind about who they were.

"He's heading to Kalos." Tom said softly before both of the women starred at him before they exploded.

"KALOS! Out of all the places, he's going where one of the THEM has a position of power?!" Sapphire spat out as she grabbed her head.

"It has to be the one place we don't have roaming forces!" Rachel said with a scowl on her face as she glared at Tom who chuckled.

"Yeah but our prince is something else, he's got one of his Pokémon watching over his mom, a pretty powerful Flying type from what I saw." Tom said as he called up an image of Ash together with his Pidgeot as the girls looked at the laptop's screen. Rachel and Sapphire only looked at the video before she chuckled.

"Wild Pokémon to watch over her, I'm betting they are who we think they are from this alone. So we stay until we get any more orders or if someone attacks us, right?" Sapphire asked as the others nodded and she walked away, a swing in her steps. "Great, I've got first shower then!"

Albia sighed as she finished delivering the last of her orders for her tables. Her first weak was over and today was payday, her Pokémon had helped her by scrounging in the forests outside of town to feed itself but some real food was just what the Zapdos ordered for them both. Ever since she had been chased out of her home in Johto she had been chased, she had only planned to stay and do some Trainer Quests in this town as a cover, to find a Pokémon to train to carry her over the seas, a Lapras, a Pidgey, a Spearow even a Magikarp would eventually give her something to help her escape, in the meantime this place was just what the doctor ordered. The Quest to work at Pallet House was from what she had overheard during her shift, was one that was available in bulk in the busy summer months, but sometimes it led to a permanent job being offered. And Miss Ketchum hadn't looked at her story too hard, then again what her coworkers had told her about her boss's past, than maybe she was waiting until she built trust between them to ask about it? But there was something about her, an echo of safety, someone who would fight the whole the world alone for her loved ones.

If she had truly thrown off them off, then maybe she could make a new life for herself, at least for a little while. But there was those two who were here earlier, the younger girl felt like that old woman who had given her the necklace she wore under her shirt. She had told her that her powers were the result of being born able to tap into her Aura and having an active Element, whatever that was, they hadn't had long to talk. The old woman and her team had fished her and her Pokémon out of that river and during a meal an hour later the people hunting her had found them, the woman had thrown a necklace at her, told her it would hide her and not to trust the League. When the two of them had gotten away she had examined it and discovered a golden stone within a locket, but she could feel something different when she wore it. As she was debating going to the League after all in Viridian City, she had seen Karen of the Kanto Elite 4 talking with some of her pursers, she had run so fast in the other direction she hadn't even stopped before she had reached Pallet Town.

And this entire town was perfect; no long standing feuds between gangs, no Quests to beat back raiding Pokémon beyond the basics in a wilderness town. It was different then her old city, but different was what she needed. The feelings that those people gave off wasn't what that child from earlier felt like, so maybe she was safe, but that girl. If the girl was like her, then maybe she should talk to the child's father, but only after she had an exit strategy ready. If she was in a position to help someone hid away from those bastards, so much the better, the way they treated their Pokémon, their 'holy duty', all of it was just wrong.

Suddenly she went dead still, there coming toward the restaurant; there was one of THEM, she could feel it, that other sense that had caused them to hunt her, the feel those among of one of those of them who had abilities like hers was walking toward the door. She went quite as a mouse as a woman with black hair in in a traveler's clock over her cloths with a scar under her right eye walked past Amanda into the restaurant heading toward the kitchen.

"Hi Amanda, Delia's in her office, right? I came into Pallet near her house and Mimey flagged me down, so after a good game of 'Guess that Problem', he was able to 'tell' me what happened earlier, so I rushed over here as fast as I could." The woman said with a smile on her face as she walked through the doorway and past Amanda, not noticing the look Amanda had on her face as she passed her. Not noticing the shell shocked look Albia had on her face when she walked in.

Amanda merely looked at her as she walked through the restaurant, a look in her eyes that held back emotions were being held back by force of will. Albia went white as her eyes widened, one THEM was in Pallet, and she was friends with Miss Delia?! Did that mean Delia's attacks had more to them than people thought?

"Maybe Pallet isn't as perfect I thought it was." Albia muttered under her breath as she walked over to Amanda for her paycheck, problems aside; she and her partner need some real food. _But this is the best what for me to live to see a tomorrow_.She thought as she went back towards the kitchen for another plat of food.

Well this is it, chapter end. I hope you all enjoyed my first chapter on my project. Read and review please, I so want to know what you think of it please. And after each chapter I will drop a few explanations for Original Content that exists in this branch timeline. On another note chapter 2 is almost done, I just have to finish one scene before and look over it to make sure it's right, I'm think a weak after this so read, review and leave me some comments, hope to see you people in a weak

 **Founding Day** : Holiday that celebrates the discovery and first settlement of what will be called Homeland by its inhabitants, usually in a two day party where the region parties hard,

 **Emergency Quest** : Protocol used by police in Kanto region that calls on all nearby Trainers in emergency situations. Considered last resort option in the face of total failure

 **Trainer Quests** : Small part time jobs usual lasting a day or a short amount of time. Way to allow Trainers to make money on their journey. Payout is based on Star Level, based on difficulty, time to complete and Pokémon involved, their levels, the number involved. EXAMP Star 1 Rattata raiding farms: Mob 1-5/LV 1-5 Payout $10 per Pokémon defeated; surcharge X2 for stronger Pokémon

 **Team Gaia** : A gang who use Normal and Grass types mainly. Primarily they were active around the Pallet Town - Viridian City area. Believed to be idiots who just want to be heard after defeat by local police with assistance of Trainers in area returned one year later as attack on the Viridian/ Pallet Airport has shown

 **Aura Caster** : Person who uses Aura Energy to cast 'spells'. Multiple Disciplines exist, only difference being how Aura is channeled for effect

 **Sealing** : Discipline of Aura channeling to create a 'seal' on a medium that when fed Aura Energy can cause near unlimited effects based on shape and medium used, multiple seals can be combined, combined seal needs increased Aura energy to activate based on seals combined


	2. Chapter 2

In Kalos's Lumiose City Ash meets two new friends and fights old enemies while someone who works for his father has found him. When forces try to stop a message from reaching its destination a threat thought destroyed shows its hand.

Here it is folks, chapter 2 of my work and the main headache of mine, the Kalos League. Transcribing this was harder than I thought so I might just do what is different about the small episode and try to do a transcribe of only the big ones. But leave some reviews at the end with your thoughs and don't forget to fave this story.

"Where is he? He should've gotten off that plane by now." A teenage girl sighed as she leaned against a pillar in an airport in Lumiose City. She looked light she had just come from a Gothic rave, her dark hair was done in a twintale style that reached her butt, two purple streaks went down her hair facing her front. She was wearing a black tube top that had a small v that showed the sides of her large C-Cup breasts and that exposed her midriff with a black open vest over it with a tight short skirt that ended at her upper thighs with a belt around her waist with six pokeballs, knee high black boots completed the outfit. Her face was heart shaped; her lips were a shiny black and her eyes had purple eye shadow that brought attention to her blue eyes, a pair of sunglass with black gems in the frame was around her neck on a chain. Next to her was a small bag, out of place for a traveler if not for some tech from home. She snorted as she saw some of the other women glare at her and the men around her stare at her in lust but not a single one had even an ounce of courage to approach her. A few of the younger girls were staring at her in wonder and a few might have talked to her if their mothers hadn't been there but then again this wasn't home so maybe she could cut them slack based on different culture.

 _So this is why everyone back home hate outside assignments so much._ She thought to herself, this was why they preferred to stay in their home; at least there people could dress how they wanted without people talking about them, at most they commented about the fashion behind hands and doors, and if a man looked at her like some of them were he would have at least walked over to talk to her by now. Lady Camilla had grabbed her from that party her cousin had dragged her to and thrown her on that train to the airport so fast she had to have two of her Item Cubes with her full wardrobe and her Aura Equipment sent to the airport. And she only got it a half hour before she was told to board the plane, so when she got to the travelers hotel later tonight she could put her cloths and outfits for her mission in order, but she had to be carrying her 'Party Clothes" Cube in her bag with her Cube Reader, 'Founding Day is an excuse to dress differently at every party you go to', she would never listen to her cousin about stuff like that again.

"Boss I really, really hope that old man was right about her and him; for your sake at least." She muttered as she looked to the doors to the tarmac as they opened and she glazed upon the woman walking in with a Helioptile on her shoulder. For an instance seeing it brought a flash of rage to her face, but she forced herself down, the woman wasn't one of those sexiest Inquisitors, those bastards had been slaughtered by Sir Mordred and a woman would never be one of the Knights!

"Hmm, good figure, clothes and makeup could do with some work but her muscles seem to hint that she's someone who makes a living by traveling so she probably has some stamina, not the best but I've _recruited_ worse. At least if it not really him…" She trailed off as she saw the figure follow her in. A blue short-sleeve jacket, a red hat on black hair, darker blue jeans, red shoes and a black shirt under the jacket and his face, it was like looking at a younger version of the boss. The Pikachu riding on his shoulder sealed the deal, this was her target and by the boss he was who they hoped he was.

"I will never ever bet against the longshot ever again." She grinned as she reached down and grabbed her bag and started to watch her target walk with the woman over to a city map outside the airport. They talked for a minute before he ran off. The woman he had been with smiled good naturally as she watch him dash off, but this left Lilith with a dilemma.

"Hmm, I could try to catch up with the princeling… or I could chat up that cutie and get his destination from her directly, what should I do?" She smirked as she brought a black painted nail to her lips.

Alexa smiled as she and her Helioptile shared a look with each other about their friend's exuberance. She did feel a little bad that her sister had to have gone on a journey without sending any word to her, but that was her sister for you. As she walked back toward the airport to her get her bag she collided with someone as she walked through the door.

"Ohmph." Alexa cried as she fell backwards, her Helioptile fell off her shoulder and she fell on her bottom.

"Sorry about that, I wasn't looking where I was going." A female voice said as a hand with black nail polish reached down to help her up. Alexia grabbed the hand and got to her feet checking that her pokemon was okay before turning to the person she bumped into.

"No problem. .." Alexa trailed off as she stared into blue eyes that seemed to take up her entire view. She felt herself drifting away, until all she could see was the color blue.

"Say, about that boy you were with, could you tell me where he was going?"

Alexa shock herself awake as her Pokémon started to shake her, looking up she realized she was inside the airport with her bag siting by the escalator.

"Helioptile, how'd we get inside and get my bag? I… it doesn't matter, let's make sure we didn't miss our bus and have to have Gogoat take us home once we get out of town." Alexa said as she and her Pokémon walked away, not noticing a female shadow with a grin on its face, a fang poking out of her mouth as she blew a kiss after Alexa.

"Thanks for everything Alexa dear, we'll meet again and we'll see what side you'll be on when we're done."

"So the prince is headed for the cities gym, a fierce start worthy of his father." Lilith mused as she walked toward the gym. All she had to do was watch the entrance, scan him and send a report back home. As she got insight of the tower she stopped dead when she saw Ash and his partner thrown out of the pokeball symbol on the building. She raised her hand began to cast a spell when she heard two voice much closer to her target

"I'll try to catch that boy!"

"I'll catch Pikachu!"

Lilith stopped her spell as she saw a blond boy in blue and yellow jumpsuit and black and white tennis shoes throw a backpack under the prince that released a crash pillow while a blond little girl wearing a dark brown blouse with a black ribbon on the chest, white skirt, black shorts, and pink Mary Jane flats grab the prince's Pokémon. She breathed a sigh of relief as the blond girl was shocked by the Pikachu.

"Quick thinking you two now let me cast a quick scan while I can." Lilith muttered as she put her sunglasses on.

"Tool to see, Sight beyond, Show me that which hides from All." She chanted as her glasses glowed pitch black.

"So the two of them are brother and sister hu, the boy's aura shows that he has quite a mind and the girl is someone who wants her brother to have someone in his life, something about their father and mother? Looks like I could teach her a few things, but let's take a look at the prince.…how in Arceus's name is he able to walk let alone think with those seals on him?" She asked herself in horror at what she over a hundred seals on his Aura. She reached with a shaking hand to touch one of the gems in her glasses and started to chant.

"Sights Seen, Sights Unseen, capture them for All to See." She popped the gem out and ducked into a nearby alley to and grabbed one of her pokeballs.

"Fly high, Murkrow." She called as the ball opened in midair and released a black flying type with a crooked yellow beak.

"Murkrow, Murkrow." The Flying type chanted as it appeared and landed on an out stretched arm. Lilith slipped the gem into a necklace around its neck, reached into her bag and pulled out two blue colored pieces of hollowed metal shaped like her wings which were met with a look of worry from the Flying type.

"Girl, I know these make it so you can't fight with your wings, but you need the Wing Sheaths to make it back even sooner than with the Wind Road alone, this report has to get to Lord Magnus sooner then you could normally, it's that important." Lilith said as her Flying type looked her in the eye before raising its wings straight up to make equipping the Wing Sheaths that much easier. After a quick fastening she was ready, Lilith had a look of pride on her face as she gave out her orders.

"Thanks girl, now go, as fast as you can, but stay safe. The boss has to find out what the state of his son is so the prince can be helped as soon as possible." Lilith said as she scowled at what had been done to Ash. If his mother had anything like that done to her, the boss was going to find the people responsible for this affront of Aura itself and impale them alive, and they would deserve it. As her Murkrow shot off into the open sky, climbing higher as she flew away from the alley, Lilith looked down at her cloths and remembered the airport and gave a short sigh.

"Better hide behind an illusion for a while. To Walk Unknown Upon the Land, Change my Form to What I Command." Lilith chanted as a black flash covered her body.

As the flash faded away a completely new Lilith had completely changed her appearance! Where a gothic party girl was, there was now a teenage honor student stood in her place. She wore a white dress; grey heels with only a hint of makeup on her face, red hair flowing down her back and a modest figure with B-Cup breasts.

"So not my style; but beggars don't slip by the hungry Snorlax." She muttered as looked for her target, but was unable to spot him.

"The seals must have shocked me more than I thought to lose track of him so... Mandibuzz, take flight! Fly around and find me a trainer with a Pikachu with two blonds!" She cried as she released her other Flying type. Her Pokémon had a Searcher Gem in a tiara on her head, so she could identify types from above, and she was trained to identify targets in groups. She would soon know where he was, and with a chant she would see what her Pokémon saw.

"Sight Of All, Sights Beyond, Share with me What the Searcher Saw." She chanted as she closed her eyes, and saw through the vision of her Pokémon augmented by the Searcher's Gem, a rainbow of colors representing the Pokémon and humans within the city.

After spotting an electric with three normal auras next to one of the town's Pokémon arena, she ended her spell and ran toward the battlefield, mentally going over how she would interact with the prince, as a Trainer or a Coordinator? She did have a flare for glamor and showmanship from her time on the circuit, but she had a few powerhouses with her, maybe bring out her whip and say her family lives in one of the Old Regions that still followed the Treaty of Defense?

"Wobbuffet, time to Shine."

"What is this?" Lilith muttered as she hid behind a tree. She saw two people in white with red R's on their cloths behind a Meowth and a Wobbuffet face down the blonds and the prince, she recognized the uniform from tactical information about Kanto.

"Team Rocket of Kanto, after the prince; are we?" She snarled as she started to release a purple aura as she watch the prince's Pikachu be hit with its own attack by the Wobbuffet.

" We'd better retreat. Using Mirror Coat reflects special attacks with double the power!" we can't stand up to that kind of strength." Blondie boy said he looked at Ash

"Gotta give Blondie points for tactical ability; but minus points from turning away from the threat to talk to someone. But this might give me an opening." Lilith mused as she grabbed one of her pokeballs.

"We've always stood up to them before and we always will! As long as Pikachu is okay, as long as Pikachu doesn't give up I'll be right here, battling to the end!" Ash cried as he stood back up and unfelt by all but Lilith, he released a spike of aura energy before the seals sapped it back.

"Boss, if I doubted he was your boy, its' so gone now." Lilith said in a tiny bit of awe in her voice over the feeling Ash's speech had invoked in her had echoes of his some of his father's speeches.

"All you'll get is reruns." The Female Rocket cried in response to Ash's words.

"Now, Pikachu, Electro Ball" Ash commanded.

"Pik! Pika! Pika! Pika! Pika!" Pikachu cried jumped up and generated the attack its trainer ordered.

"We'll help you out, too! Bunnelby, use Mud Shot!" Blondie cried.

"You're on, Wobbuffet!" Female Rocket cried out.

"Wob! Buff! Buff! Buff!" Wobbuffet cried as it jumped up, dodging the Mud Shot while activacting Mirror Coat, bouncing the Electro Ball back toward Pikachu.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu cried out as its mouth dropped open before a small blue pokemon jumped between the attack and the electric type.

"Froakie!" It cried before the attack hit and exploded.

The blue pokemon land after the attack with Pikachu in its arms, electric sparks crawling over its blue skin.

Ash gritted his teeth; Pikachu was fine but only because a small blue pokemon had intercepted an electric attack sent back by Wobbufett, a rookie mistake! The pokemon in question was a small one that had light blue skin, white hands, and a dark blue stripe from the center of its oval head to its nose, its eyes were closed. By its skin tone he had to guess it was a water type, but it had a mane of…clouds around its neck that he was made him wonder if it was a dual type.

"It's a Froakie!" Clemont cried as he and Bonnie ran over to Ash. At the look Ash sent him he went on.

"It's a water-type that new trainers can get in Kalos. So that Electro Ball must have done lots of damage." Clemont continued as he looked back as Froakie tensed as electricity ran over its skin.

"So where is its Trainer?" Ash asked with a worried look in his eyes as he, Clemont and Bonnie looked around as Froakie hoped toward Team Rocket.

"Where's Froakie going?" Bonnie asked in confusion.

"Froakie Froak!" it cried out.

"What's with the yapping?" Jessie wondered.

"I think that Froakie wants to help us." Ash said as he stood back up.

"Fro!" Froakie cried as it opened its yellow eyes and glared at Team Rocket

"Froakie's saying bad guys rub it the wrong way!" Mewoth cried as its mouth dropped open

"You can't take them on if you've been hurt! Stop!" Ash cried as he raced to Froakie as it inflated the back of its mane and jumped toward Team Rocket.

"Froakie!" Ash cried as he looked on in concern.

In midair it grabbed the inflated part of its mane with its hand and threw toward the Rocket operatives.

"Wow, Froakie just used its Frubbles!" Bonnie cried out as her and her brothers mouths dropped open in shock.

"Big whoop! We'll just send that right back at you!" Jessie sneered as Wobbuffet jumped and activated its Mirror Coat, only for the move to have no effect as the Frubbles hit Wobbuffet, forcing it backwards as the remaining Frubbles hit Jessie, James and Meowth.

"What's this?"

"I Can't get this gunk off!" Jessie and Meowth cried as Team Rocket struggled against the sticky frubbles.

"How come it didn't bounce back?" Ash wondered in confussion.

"Of course! Froakie's gummy Frubbles isn't a move, so Wobbuffet's Mirror Coat was completely ineffective!" Clemont exclaimed as he realized what had happened.

"Awesome, Froakie, way to go! Pikachu and I can take it from here!"Ash cried as he and Pikachu advanced to stand by Froakie as the frog like Pokémon looked at Ash.

"We'll lend a hand, too"

"Bunnelby!" Clemont and his pokemon proclaimed as they stood next to Ash.

"You guys better not forget about me!" Bonnie declared as she ran next to Ash on his other side and puffed her cheeks.

"Now, Bunnelby, us Dig!"

"Bunnel-brree!" Clemont command as his Pokémon jumped and used its ears to tunnel into the earth, coming up under Team Rocket, sending them skyward.

"Yeah! Way to go!"

"Nice work, Bunnelby!" Bonnie and Clemont cried as they saw Team Rocket fly into the air.

"Let's wrap this up! Pikachu, Thunderbolt, go!" Ash cried as Pikachu and Froakie both jumped into the air, Pikachu fireing a Thunderbolt and Froakie throwing a water bubble that merged and hit Team Rocket together.

"We're blasting off again!"

"Wobbuffet!" Team Rocket cried as they disappeared into the sky.

"Wow! Awesome power!" Bonnie declared as both Pikachu and Bunnelby ran to their trainers.

Froakie groaned as it collapsed to the ground.

"Froakie! Something's wrong!" Ash cried as he ran to the water type and took it into his arms as the others gathered around them.

"Froakie needs help right away." Clemont said as he looked at the water type, seeing the injuries he had sustained in their defense.

"Is there a Pokémon Center?" Ash demanded as he stood up with the water type in his arms.

"Well from here, I'm trying to think…" Clemont trailed off as he looked around, trying to remember where the Pokémon Center was.

"I think it would be a lot quicker if we brought Froakie to the Professors lab instead!" Bonnie declared as the others looked at her.

"The Professor?

"Yeah, Professor Sycamore's Research Lab! There's no doubt he'll know how to help Froakie!" Clemont answered Ash as he turned to his Pokémon hold out its Pokeball.

"Bunnelby, return Thanks a lot! You really helped out!" Clemont said with a smile.

"Come on Ash, this way!"

"I'm coming Bonnie!" Ash ran after the younger girl with the water type in his arms, Pikachu on his shoulder, Clemont grabbed their bags before hurrying after his sister and his new friend.

 _If he's this strong with only one Pokémon, I can't wait to see what he's like with a full team!_ Lilith thought with a smirk on her face. She signaled her Mandibuzz to follow their target, while she trailed the elder blond. After a while she saw him go into a building behind a steel gate, this must be the Professor Sycamore's lab. Seeing her searcher in a tree along the road, she then moved into a nearby ally, quickly checking to make sure that no one was looking or could overhear her, she chanted a spell.

"Send my Voice, Unheard to Others, To my One Amongst them all. Girl, I'm heading to the hotel. Stay here, head over once and perch across from where my room is supposed to be so I can recall you when you get there."

Seeing her Pokémon nod, she move deeper down the alley, dropping her illusion around herself, time to rest from all the traveling she had been doing. Slipping back onto the main roads, she headed toward where her hotel was. Her target had finished with the only excitement he was going to have today, so time to finish her planning. As she walked her mind went to the older and started to walk with a swing to her hips. She didn't know why, but there was something about him….

The flying type had flown through the Wind Road with the aid of the Wing Sheaths, dodging flocks of migrating flying types as she flew toward her destination. For the last few minutes she had felt something, was she being hunted, on the Wind Road, the neutral territory for all flyers? She hugged her wings to her body and dropped 50 feet, dodging a silver blast of energy by seconds. Pumping her wings she risked a glance backwards, spotting a trio of Skarmory in arrow formation pointed at her. Hearing the other flying types react to the attack she increased her knowing they were after her she flew faster she tried to think why they had committed such a taboo, what could she do? Angling down she flew out of the Wind Road, she would need every advantage to escape. Barreling to the right as she her instincts screamed out at her, she saw one the Skarmorys fly by with a white glow about it, as it flew past she realized with horror, that they were trained! They had to have been looking for something, did their trainer know about her mission, her trainer's mission, what she was carrying?! Looking ahead she spotted a group sea-stacks ahead of her, she was nearly home, and she could use this, she had to gamble on her movability to escape she just had to bait them.

Flying slow with while trying to act like her wing was hurt she flew between the pillars as the three Steel-Types followed her. The three Skarmorys flew faster as they moved in for the kill; their master will receive a prize soon. Dodging blasts of silver energy from her pursuers she flew between the rocks hoping to escape them. After a while she looked back and saw a single Skarmory chasing her before…. She was blindsided by one of the other two, it had come at her from above, tackling her onto one of the sea stacks

She moved her body up from where she had crashed and saw the three Skarmory land around her and slowly walk toward her. She prepared herself to fight to her end when six energy rays hit the three Armor Bird Pokémon. Around her landed three Pidgeotto while two more hovered with a Pidgeot, each had a look of anger on their faces for the actions that the three had performed on the Wind Road, it was neutral territory for all who used it. The three Skarmory didn't even reacted as 5 more of them landed on surrounding rock pillars as one of the three in formation gestured with a wing at her and convoyed the command to leave her and go. As the Bird Pokémon braced themselves for battle a blast of fire hit two of the Skarmoys on the pillars behind the standoff before energy blasts hit the other three.

"I didn't want to believe what my boys told me, but it seems they had seen the situation clearly." A gruff voice said as a shadow covered the pokemon. Raising her head, the Dark Flying type saw an Aerodactyl, one of the Elites was here, she and her rescuers were safe, with that realization she let herself stop fighting, and passed out.

She awoke to the smiling face of one of the Pidgeotto in a room with medical supplies all around it, she was in one the Homelands Care Centers, she was home.

"That one wouldn't leave until you woke up, I guess what they say about Pokémon loyalty is not to be questioned." A melodies voice said from the doorway. Walking into the room was a pale woman with red hair in a bun wearing a nurse's outfit under a lab coat with a smile on her face that turned to a frown as the nurse saw the effort her patient was making to rise and leave the bed the Flying type was in.

"You were only out for about two hours, so if your message is time sensitive you should make it on time. You can go as soon I slip this note for your trainer around one of your legs." The Nurse said as she moved toward the bed, did what she said and opened the window. With a bow to the healer the Murkrow took flight.

Joy sighed as she saw the Murkrow leave with the Pidgeotto flying into the sky, it was to early for this. In all the years she had be in residence here at Castle Town, Pokémon on missions for their Trainers always gave her such problems, they always pushed themselves for 'time sensitive missions', really, drama queens 9 times out of ten the lot of them. Not to mention the problems Founding Day always brought to her Care Centers.

"Headmistress Joy? Headmistress where are you?" A female voice called worriedly from outside.

 _Back to the grindstone, at least the patents from Founding Day parties are all almost gone._ Joy thought as she walked out to see a black haired woman in a business suite running toward her.

"Yes Sara, what problems have come up now?"

"The Skarmorys that were brought in their all dead! No, they were dead BEFORE the General and his team killed them, they had machines inside!" Sara stammered as Joy lost what little color she had, what her assistant described was one thing only, a thing that her King had tried to destroy down to the roots of knowledge.

"Frakenmon." Joy whispered in horror before her eyes hardened and she walked down the hall.

"Have the most intact of the corpses brought to Operating Theater 1, contact Lady Camilla with what findings we have. I want a full security team ready to transfer whatever I can carve out for a full diagnostics wherever it's decided to send them, contact all off duty morticians report to theaters not in use to carve up the rest of them." Joy ordered as she pounded her way to her Theater, time to find some answers about where the bastard who made these things might be hiding.

As the Pidgeotto followed after her she heard it call out a traditional parting she returned as angled upwards before she saw the castle above the town. There was her target. She flew as fast as she could and when she reached the window she started to peck when it opened to let her in.

The room was full of occult books and tapestries, model of the solar system hovered near the ceiling without wires, near the door rested a staff.

"I believe you have a scan of my Nephew for me to look over little friend?" A cultured male voice said as the Murkrow proudly landed on a desk and puffed out its chest, the gem it had protected had reached its destination and the person who would help the Prince. After a rest and some food she would return to her trainer with her mission completed.

"I think this is the Flying type me and my team rescued a few hours back my friend. Good thing I decided to bring the patrol a few miles out after all." The gruff voice from the Aerodactyl said as the gem left the necklace and a hologram of Ash with seals running all over his body appeared over the desk.

"I don't think the Master will like what has been done to these two comrades." A voice sighed the three shadows converged at the desk.

 **Item Cube** : Arcane Science device that turns inorganic items into digital data through the power of users Aura

 **Cube Reader** : Arcane Science device that reads Item Cubes', must have code for Cube to recall items

 **Aura Equipment** : Catch all term for items which increase or give abilities to humans or Pokémon depending on item; items must be tailored for species that uses said item

 **Wing Sheaths** : Aura Equipment; Pokémon Armor Type. Appearance; Hollow blue metal shaped like wings that fit over the wings of the Pokémon using them Increase flight speed of Pokémon with wings, denies moves that use Wings as mediums

 **Searcher Gem:** Aura Equipment; General Gem Type. Bestows Aura Sight on user

 **Wind Road** : Bands of wind in upper atmosphere that Flight enabled Pokémon use to migrate around the world.

 **Treaty of Defense** : In time of old after a war that covered the known world, a treaty was signed, this treaty granted the right of self-defense with a weapon to all travelers. In the centuries that followed and new lands were settled, countries that still followed this ancient treaty became known as the Old Worlds, and those places that paid it no mind became the New Worlds

 **Frakenmon** : Pokémon reanimated by Arcane-Science. Forbidden practice punishable by death or enslavement.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

So here's chapter three people. I set a goal and I met it. It was a challenge but I think I'm learning a lot about writing and that was one of the reasons I'm doing this but for you readers enjoy and please drop a few reviews

Lilith walked out of the bathroom of the room in the hotel she checked into dressed in a bathrobe, her hair flowing down her back, having finished a shower before she would order a meal. Her target was at the region's Professors lab and after the excitement earlier she had slipped away to rest and finalizes her plans. She had released her Pokémon to feed them, taken her clothes from her one of her Item Cubes and was currently deciding on what to wear when she meets up with the prince.

"Nido nid rina." Her Nidorina said as she bumped her legs as her other Pokémon looked up from their bowls as she sat on the rooms bed.

"Don't worry girls I order something in a few minutes. I'm still worried about the seals on the 'Prince'. I mean I wasn't able to see much from so far away and I will be the first one to say I don't know much on the subject. But if they weren't a prototype, then who or what was the experimental subject." Lilith wondered as her Pokémon adopted looks of concern.

"Yeah I know where would they get a test subject like the prince but that's only if they care if he survived. These are the Crusaders we're talking about but really, are they that dedicated to protecting humanity?" Lilith said as she and team exchanged looks of concern she sighed and she shook her head.

"Come on girls let's stop with all the doom talk. Let's see what's on the local news channel, maybe they'll have the Baccer results, and then I'll order something." Lilith said as she reached for the remote control. she turned the room's tv on and changed the channel…TO HER PRINCE ON THE NEWS FOR SAVING A POKEMON BY RISKING HIS LIFE?! Lilith just starred in shock, not moving a single inch or reacting before her Nidorina bumped the bed and she exploded.

"TWO HOURS! I LEFT HIM FOR JUST TWO HOURS! How can he get into something where he risked his life how, just how?" Lilith said as she hugged her legs to her chest as she rocked back and forth on the bed. She perked up when she felt something rub against her legs, looking up she saw her Liepard on the bed while her Nidorina looked at her from the floor with her Skorupi on her, both given her a look of worry. Reaching she scratched her Liepard under her chin and sighed.

"I'm good girls. Teacher said the boss was quite the dare devil when they were teens, so I guess the apple didn't fall far from the tree. Once I find a way to make contact with the prince, get a feel on where he's going and what to use as a cover for being here in the region. I'd bet you gals would like it if we hit a few of the contests around here, hu?" She smiled when she saw her Pokémon smile and start to cheer, back home their teacher had sent them into the Contests to teach her humility, she had learned that and taken to the arts of training Pokémon to use their moves differently like a bat to the night. Her Nidorina had even evolved during one contest battle, scoring them the trophy! Hearing a beep from her phone she smiled as she connected it to her laptop, she had the prince's history of his journey now, all the competitions he had ever been in, now all she had to do was find a style to hit Kalos with and she was golden. Looking through the data she smiled, a way to have heard of him and maybe a reason to have come here, just what she needed.

"Well girls get ready to the Lovely Lilith is back on the circuit! So lets' eat girls, tomorrow it's time to meet and greet!" Lilith proclaimed as her Pokémon cheered around her, a smile on her face as her shadow on the wall behind her grew wings from her shoulders.

A teenage girl in a black shirt with a v neck that exposed the top of her C-cup cleavage under a black well-traveled coat and black pants leaned against the wall of the Pokémon Center. Her face was bare except for a bit of black lip gloss and a pair of glasses. She smiled as she saw Bonnie, Clemont and Ash talk with Nurse Joy. She walked toward them as Ash started to speak and reached for his backpack

.

"Can you register my Quest Scanner here too Nurse Joy?" Ash trailed off as Nurse Joy adopted a look of confusion which worried Ash.

"Quest Scanner?" Bonnie asked Clemont as she turned to her brother. Ash turned to them and let his thoughts fly. _Come on! I know some countries don't follow the Treaty but not to give out Quests too?! How do they expect Trainers to earn money, part time jobs that take weeks to earn anything?!_

"I believe they call them Task Trackers here in Kalos. The Alola Reg call them Job Watchers." A voice said behind them, turning Ash saw a girl his age dressed in black with black lips and sunglasses.

"Sorry to cut in but I figured I should help out before everyone spends too much time trying to figure out the terms a fellow Old Worlder used. You can call me Lilly and…say aren't you Ash Ketchum?" The girl said as she gave a start as he turned to face her.

"I'm Ash Ketchum, do we know each other." Ash asked as he tried to remember if he ever met the girl before him.

"No we've never met but a teacher I had showed me your performance at the Wallace Cup, and a friend of mine stumbled across what you did in Crown City while looking into a company the League took over." Lilly said dryly as Ash rubbed the back of his head.

"A teacher?" Bonnie asked as she gazed at the girl.

"Ya, back home I'm a Pokémon Coordinator of some small fame and student of someone pretty famous locally and after the end of the season last year she said it might be good if I tried something differently after coming in the top 4 and then the runner-up the year after." Lilly said as she beamed with pride.

"Wow! You're a keeper! Please take care of my brother." Bonnie said as she looked upon the girl.

"Bonnie, I thought we talked about this!" Clemont cried as a mechanical hand grabbed his sister and picked her up.

"Sorry little girl but I never date anyone I don't know, so what your name blondie?" Lilly purred as she looked at Clemont who went red at Bonnie's and her words and started to stammer.

"What did you do in Crown City Ash?" Clemont said as he turned to look at Ash, trying and succeeding to make Ash the center of attention.

"Ehhh, nothing much really. Just reunited a mother and with her child, exposed a prominent Businessman as the worst Eco-Criminal in the region with a crime 20 years old that he almost got away with and got the scum to confess on live TV. And this is Bonnie and her brother Clemont" Ash said as Bonnie and Clemont starred at him.

"Your Task…er Quest Scanner can be registered with Officer Jenny, her office handles all Tasks and handles payment after the person who issues one send a notification that it was completed. And how can I help you Ms. Lilly?" Nurse Joy interrupted.

"Since Kalos usually only does the Showcase I was wondering if I had to register as a Coordinator here or not." Lilly said as she brought out a Pokédex.

"No but Professor has a list of where and when the Contests will be held, you'll have to talk to him for that information and with the damage to his lab you might have to wait a bit, and a new trainer is coming for her first Pokémon today." Joy said as Lilly stared at Ash for a bit. She shook her head before anyone noticed her look and smiled at the three of them.

"So where are you guys going, from what Nurse Joy said I have to wait a while before I can get the info I need." Lilly said as the four of them walked out of the Pokémon center

"Bonnie and I decided to travel with Ash for a bit; we need a change of pace for a while." Clemont said as he rubbed the back of his head and looked toward the Prism Tower. _And when I'm back, I'll be stronger and more powerful._

"So it's straight on to Santalune City and the Gym. Maybe we'll run into you again." Ash said as he gave Lilly a smile.

"Maybe, it'll depend on where and when the contests are. So see you." Lilly said as she walked off. Her faces showed nothing but inside her thoughts were going a mile a minute. _An Aura Link! The prince already has a soul-mate?! Just what kind of life has he been living and what affect are those seals having on him! To block it an Aura spark from joining with its chosen Aura, something like this is just NOT done!_

Lilith's glass showed a spark of a humans Aura dissipating when it met the seals. Just what hell did the seal-maker create if it could block a soul-mate bond. She went dead still when the thoughts hit her, did it happen with others, did Ash have more than one soul-mate? _Gotta stop thinking about it, I need to find this girl, if I'm lucky then I'll meet her at the Professor's lab. I'll make up a report on what I saw and my actions and mail it to teach, she'll get it to the boss._

Jenny snarled to herself as she slammed the phone down into its cradle. The international police had laughed off her concerns that the Kanto criminal group was expanding into her region. Something about the Rockets she describe as being the bottom of the barrel, to call back if the Tooth Fairy joined them with the Easter Lopunny. Those criminals almost cause the death of a trainer and when she brought it up it caused the person answering to laugh even harder when she described the person in question. The bastard said something about sending her a file once he calmed down and hung up on her. A noise at the door caused her to glare at two trainers and a little girl who jumped a bit at her expression.

"Can I help you kids?" Jenny asked as she got her emotions back under control. She identified the gym leader and his sister and the black haired trainer looked somewhat familiar but she couldn't place him, a flaw she had when her emotions were agitated.

"Nurse Joy at the Pokemon Center said I could register my Task Tracker here?" The black haired trainer said as he handed over a Task Tracker. Connecting it to her computer she loaded it with the regions security passcode and grabbed the Trackers serial number before handing it back to him. A chime from her computer pulled her back toward it, the file the international police was going to send her, maybe she would get some answers, and she absently handed the Tracker back to the boy and waved him off.

"Thank you Officer Jenny." The boy said as he and the others left her office.

"All part of the job, have a good day." Jenny said robotically as she opened the file. The first few pages were about the Rocket members she had described and the pages after were about when and where they had committed criminal acts. After a while next few page she noticed that the same trainer ID kept coming up as both victim and stopper. Then another chime and an email entitled 'Protector' appeared.

"Didn't my cousin in Unova mention that a trainer had earned a title from the Pokémon Rangers and the International Police?" She muttered to herself as she opened the file, to no surprise it was a trainer bio, the kind of files the government kept of trainers that caught their eye. As she started to read accommodations for valor, for saving people and Pokémon, for defeating criminal gangs she recognized the ID as the same one in the previous file. The final page was the photo ID and when she saw it she shot up from her chair.

"THAT'S THE KID FROM LAST NIGHT, WAIT HE WAS JUST HERE!" Jenny cried out as she looked into the hallway in shock.

"Frankenmons attacked a courier in the Wind Road?" The speaker was a tall man in a purple tuxedo and a black cape with an Eevee on his shoulder who lead two pale attractive women in maid uniforms down a hallway. The woman on his right had blue hair in a pageboy style, her blue eyes had black eye shadow above and her blue lips were set in a frown, in her ears were two white gems and by her side walked a Glaceon with a collar with four white gems. The maid on his left had flowing red hair that reached her waist, the only makeup she had was red lipstick and blush with two red gems in her ears, a Flareon was by her side whose front legs had clawed boots on.

"Yes Master Alex, Lady Joy ordered all off duty morticians to assist in retrieving all parts from within the corpses post haste. She entered the castle two hours ago according to a local agent so this is likely a briefing about them to quell the rumors. Though a few days ago Lady Camilla sent her apprentice out on a mission and the same night the Elites were summoned for a meeting, so there is that which I am sure one of _them_ will bring up. " The blue haired woman spoke with a cold tone as she followed .

"One of Morg'a's little temptresses is _dating_ one of the security staff called to transport the materials harvested, the bitch probably bugged the poor sap with a seal. So she's probably the source of most of the rummors. Hope the fool she's using had a good time with the little tramp at least, but given what I had when one tried to use me, I _really, really_ doubt it master. And like sister Sarah said, one of _them_ will bring it up." The redhead's voice was full of passion as she strutted down the hallway.

Alex smiled as he thought of the meeting a month ahead of schedule, a summit of the Elites and now Frankenmon, the times were getting quite exciting, what next, did they find the Queen and Prince? He gave a chuckled at that thought, he had probably taunted murphy, but if that happened, those harpies would die of shock.

Turning a corner he stopped cold as he saw what was guarding the door to the meeting chamber. Two humanoids in full plate armor holding lances with two Haxorus with black body armor stood sentinel.

"Master, those are Highguard." Sarah said as she reached Alex and stared with him at the door guards. Alex slowly gained a grin on his face that as he eyes twinkled.

"My dear cold Sarah, my passionate Ellie, this is going to be explosive." Alex proclaimed as he walked down the hallway as his two maids looked at each other and sighed.

"Tell me again why do we love that man-child sister?" Ellie said as he followed after him.

"The sex, definitely the sex." Sarah answered bluntly as the two of them followed their lover down the hallway while Alex only gave a small smirk at the words his followers exchanged.

Walking into the throne room he moved toward the left side and gazed around the room. A few people in clocks were debating Aura casting by the window, representatives from the School of Aura, they only came when there was an important announcement, were the Frankenmons were made by someone they expelled and escaped the law. The last Chimera breeder supposedly caused the procedures to change, but there are geniuses out there.

A few of the Families had a few more members then just their heirs with them, more girls than boys again, were they trying the catch the bosses eye with a pretty face? He nodded his head at his allies among the Lords as they passed each other as he led his party toward windows, and saw with no surprise that saw that the _Lady_ Morg'a was dressed to the nines in the middle of a small crowd of ladies, was she trying to draw in others with her beauty. And she was striking today. Her long black hair flowed down her back to her thighs; her jade dress stopped at the middle of her breasts, with a cut show the inner sides with a green gem in the shape of the Grass-Type symbol resting between her breasts. Her dress went to the floor with a slit that revealed white stocking clad legs in green high heels. Her lips were painted a vibrant green, while eye shadow of an aqua green shade brought out her green eyes. Her Roselia was next to her with a grass symbol around its neck. He noticed her eyes never left a target across from her and saw who Morg'a was watching; the newest of the Highlords, the Lady Cleo Ro Clor of the Desert Realm was talking with a few lords who, if he remembered their homes locations right, bordered her territory. She cut a striking figure with her dark skin in a form fitting white robe dress that showed off her figure while still giving off a classy feel. All the makeup she wore was a simple black lipstick, while her black hair was in a simple pageboy style. Her Krokorok was standing next to her, a simple Ground symbol around its neck, showing that the simple things had a class all its own.

"So you made it to this thing youngster?" A gruff voice said as a heavy hand landed on his other shoulder. Turning he saw an older man with a beard in a white shirt and black pants next to an Ursaring.

"Sir Viktor, how are you old man? How was that Chimera hunt you went on a few weeks back, it was an Ice Fire mix that was the pack leader?" Alex said as he smiled at his friend and ally among the Lords.

"Me and mine handled it, but I gotta talk to you about it afterwards. You'll never guess whose territory it they never even sent a scout towards." Vicktor said darkly as he glared toward Morg'a group.

"I've dealt with such things in my own lands my friend, after the meeting let me track down the last two members of my old team to have a talk for old times, you can join us." Alex said with a sigh as memoires of days long gone pasted behind his eyes.

A commotion near the front caused them to turn and saw three of the Elites walk into the room, each shadowed by one of their Pokemon. Lady Camilla was followed by her Zoroark, the brown haired robed form of Magnus walked next to his Golurk while Mordred was dressed in a simple smock and pants was walked next to his Chesnaught. Following after them was their lord walked with his Mightyena with Lady Joy walking after him in a black gown with a white Crobat on her shoulder. _So a briefing by Joy was part of this after all, but why were both Camilla and Magnus here? Why were the Highguard outside? I think this might be bigger than I thought._ Alex thought as he looked over the gathering.

Morg'a smiled and gave off an air of sophistication looking at the Elites entering the room but she let her thoughts tell her true feelings, confident that the Psi-Changer she wore around her neck kept them to herself. _So that bitch Camilla is taking part in this after all. So whatever reason she pulled that brat from the party is important. Damn that idiotic little tramp for not getting closer to the slut! It probably was her little beast that was attacked after all. But she's only been gone a few days, and in Kalos of all place!_

As Dracula sat upon his thrown, all before bowed and curtsied to show respect for their liege lord. Before anyone could speak up about the nature of the gather he raised his hand for silence.

"My loyal subjects let me cut away all the rumors you've heard. Approximately two hours ago the Lady Joyce briefed me upon the 8 Frankenmon that tried to intercept a courier using the Wind Road. Lady Joy, if you would care to take over?" Dracula said as he gestured at Joy who curtsied as a holo projector appeared before the throne.

"Thank you my lord. As per my orders when I was informed what had entered my morgue, all personal were recalled and all machines were removed from the bodies before all but two were incinerated. This decision" Joy began before Morg'a stepped forward and interrupted her.

"Two of the bodies were kept from the final peace Lady Joy? Forgive my impudence but aren't all Frankenmon bodies supposed to be incinerated after the foul machines which move them are taken from their corpses by rule of law?" Morg'a melodious voice interrupted, causing murmurs to spread among the crowd at this seemingly breach of law. Joy gained a small frown before she continued.

"Normally, yes that is the law. But the bodies were reanimated by an unknown process and power source. As the bodies were inspected, it became apparent that the machines were split in two different configurations. From what my limited mechanical knowledge told me, one type had a receiver of some kind while the other had a transceiver. The bodies saved were the ones most intact with detailed notes were made on where each machine was removed from the individual corpse. However both types had a few similar parts, this one we are having the most trouble identifying the components purpose." As Joy spoke the projector glowed, showing a diagram of a machine connected to two broken crystals with the crystals each connected to one side of a hexagon stone.

"The gems aren't like anything we've seen before. The hexagon seems to be artificial and seems to be the main power source, one of my people theorized that the gems act like a kind of converter. The fact that they were able to use attacks is a cause for concern, but the most distressing thing we've discovered is that there is no way for an external power source to connect to the stone, we have no idea how these things receive power at all." Joy finished as murmurs started back up.

"This is troubling, tovarish." Victor whispered to Alex as thoughts raced through his head. One of the only ways Frankenmons were found was the massive electrical power drain they used to recharge. And with the fact they were able to use Pokémon attacks… _Wait, what were the attacks used elemental propertiess? Could there be a connection?_ Alex thought as his mind raced, signaling his group that he was doing this alone he started to walk through the crowd toward the throne. Alex exited the crowd until he was next to Morg'a and bowed to Lady Joy.

"Lady Joy, do we know what attacks were used by the subjects." Alex said as he saw the scowl Morg'a sent him, curious _. Did she want to score a point with that or keep people from asking? Just what is your end goal you Grass bitch_

"As the witness was a Pokémon, a psychic copy of the incident was made. From what Lord Magnus divined, the moves used were Flash Cannon and Arial Ace." Joy trailed off as she looked at the hologram.

"So moves of two elements and two gems. Were any gems recovered intact?" Alex continued as Joy called up data.

"All gems were found shattered. A failsafe or the result of battle…" Joy trailed off as she turned and shared a look with Magnus. Mordred stepped forward as a hologram of the Homeland appeared.

"Thank you Headmistress for your report, Lord Alex, Lady Morg'a for your points I give you my thanks. As of 1 hour ago our lord has issued orders that the patrols groups along our shore are be increased in size. The remains are to be turned over to the School of Aura as soon as the masters exit this chamber for a period of one weak for a detailed examination. All lords are to take any action they believe is necessary in their territories its security, all suspicious events are to be investigated by local authorities." Mordred began as a map of the Homeland sprang from the holo-project identifying the various territories

"Wait one minute Commander Mordred! How was a single courier identified by those monsters and from where did the courier come from? What was its cargo? These facts would affect any plans we make to protect our citizens." Morg'a interrupted with a smirk. Joy had a look of worry on her face while Camilla had a sever frown

"From the machine's localization before we removed them, some of them were hooked up to the eyes of the corpse, so a possible Aura sensor is possible. The cargo…." Mordred began until the person behind him interrupted and spoke loudly.

"Was an Aura scan of my son." Dracula declared as he stood up from his throne.

Alex blinked, their lord couldn't have said what he thought he'd heard, did he?

"I Declare this for all within this chamber to know! After years of not knowing their fate, my Queen and my son have been Found! Even as we speak, measures are being undertaking to return them to our shores!" Dracula proclaimed as the chamber exploded in conversations.

Morg'a had a wide smile on her face while on the inside her thoughts were complete anarchy. _Arceus Damn it! With that old slug found she'll be back and warming his bed within the next year! All my plans to find and influence her replacement just went up in smoke! I should have known that those stupid Crusaders wouldn't kill them!_

"My lord may I be the first to offer my congratulations on such wonderful news! If there is anything that any of us could do to help I'm sure my fellows would jump at the chance!" Morg'a said with cheer in her voice. Alex merely looked at her and let his eyes grow hard. _So they did find D, and I think my people needs to spend a little time making sure that that tart doesn't try to send anyone after little whoever go the scan or the kid_

"I can only say that in _this_ matter the Lady Morg'a speaks for me as will my lord _._ If there is anything my people and I can do to help you have but to command it." Alex said as he bowed to his liege lord as the other Lords and Highlords copied him.

"Thank you but as I said measures are being done to return my beloved to me. May our people stand forever against all who would threaten us!" Dracula declared as he got up from his throne and his Pokemon followed him out the door. Alex looked at Camilla and fixed the right side of his collar and saw her and Magnus clench their right hands before he walked back to Victor and his maids. He grinned to himself as he walked. _Time for an old friend and her son to come home at last, but how did they find them? And who better to ask then her brother and her best friend?_

Cleo sighed as she and her Krokorok walked into her inner apartment. That meeting had been as nerve wracking as the rumors that had been swirling around the local net. The reality was even worse, Frankenmon powered by unknown means, and able to use attacks! That wasn't even touch the fact that the Queen to be was alive with the Prince, that changed everything! When she returned she had given orders that all local wild Pokémon dens were to have surveillance equipment set up, if anything came to _harvest_ fresh corpse, they would see them if they hit the dens. Why did she ever have to be chosen as the High Lord's successor anyway? It was supposed to be just a simple Quest, why did her predecessor have to use it to choose replacement before he died, she was just an orphan who had to play peacekeeper at the orphanage. She didn't like to fight, and his will that said she had to build her household herself without any of the previous staff, thank Arceus that Marshall Asim and his crew had stayed on and the homunculi maids. But things were hard; she had her pen pal to chat with! With a smile on her face she walked toward her computer, her Krokorok pulled out the chair to let her sit down and signed into a chat room. She had meet her friend on a message board about the impact Pokémon and human settlements had on each other, and since then the two of them had had conversations about care and feeding, exchanged recipes and helped each other deal with problems. She did feel a bit bad that he thought she was a middle management in a company who got promoted after her superior left, but the rest of the world wasn't like her home, they didn't have Lords and High Lords and to burden a doctor with her political problems just wasn't the right thing to do.

SandyLady: You online Doc?

RockDoc: Hey Lady, how was your meeting.

SandyLady: The boss's wife woke up from her coma, she's going to return to the company but the medicine that helped wake her was almost stolen by thieves so security of all divisions were raised, and two people on my level are fighting with each other, I've had to issue a few orders that might get people hurt in the name of said security, what about you?

RockDoc: I have a bit of a problem myself; the mother of one of my old friends sent a quite inquiry about a girl she's worried about, wants to double check something and my job says I should make it official, but everything I feel screams me to keep quit, I'm a bit conflicted.

SandyLady: So keep quiet and look into what might happen if you don't, you might find something you don't know you know about would happen. But why do you feel what you that way?

RockDoc: Thanks for the advice Lady, it's a supervisor who would receive the report just rubs me the wrong way, something about them feels wrong to me.

Cleo went cold as she rereads the last message; some people Aura's were able to 'sense' the nature of people, when they were hurt and needed help. Most of them became public servants, doctors or police if Doc felt something wrong about his supervisor, then they might be trouble if he went official on this. One piece of advice old man Victor had told her when she was sworn in was to trust her instincts about people and Pokémon. Said instincts said the Lady Morg'a was a trustworthy as a coin left in the sun was cold, so she trusted the advice.

SandyLady: Doc, one bit of advice I think I can pass on to you; always trust your instincts. Your hindbrain might be seeing what your forebrain can't.

"Lady Ro Clor! We have a situation!" A voice called from her door. That was Marshall Asim, but he should be out along the dunes, helping set up the observation cameras. If he was back then there might be a rather large problem that needs the local High Lords authority.

"I'll be right there!" Cleo called back as she typed one last message and walked toward her door, her Krokorok falling in step behind her. The duties of a desert High Lord never ended, but she was ready to meet them. Opening the door she was met with Marshall Asim, a hard faced black haired man wearing a black cloak over black clothes with a Braviary wearing a Searcher's Gem next to him.

"What happened Marshal?" Cleo demand as he would only have his Braviary with him if he was searching for something before he came to see her. Gesturing for her and her Pokémon to follow him he led them down the hallway. His Braviary took flight and flew ahead and out a window.

"Everything was going like clockwork M'lady, we had finished setting up most of them when we hit the Northern Mountain, one of the caves is or was used by a herd of Trapinch as their nest, it was empty and it showed signs of a battle. Thankfully we found the herd at an oasis, but the herd defenders were all injured. The team I sent into the cave discovered a hole in the floor that led into a chamber; it looks like an early Ritual chamber. The battle damage in the cave looks like the herd was attack from the cave mouth and then who ever made the hole was attacked by something inside. The problem is a sand storm swept the region after this all happened, at least we think so." Asim as he led her into a room with a map of her territory, marked with symbols for her towns, cities and Pokémon dens.

"Send word to all towns nearby to be on alert, anything or anyone out of the ordinary is to be reported at once. Once night falls patrols are to be run between the cities for the next week. The Trapinch are to be relocated to a territory where they can prosper, send word to the School of Aura, I want an archeological team to be sent to study those ruins as soon as possible. And put the Gates on full alert for the next 2 weeks, if people broke into that chamber I don't want it to be easy for them to escape." Cleo Ro Clor, Highlord of the Inner Desert commanded as she gazed upon a map of her lands. _What happened when the chamber was breeched, what did they wake up and who were they? I always knew I would face a trial by fire, this has to be it._

SandyLady: Sorry Doc, duty calls. Good luck with your problem.

Brock sighed as he read the last message SandyLady had sent him. For a corporate manager she always had the right thing to say to help him. Maybe it was wrong to let her think he was only a doctor, but the problems of a Gym Leader, even one who was away from their gym weren't for the faint of heart. Just last week he had helped to take down a pack of Houndor and the alpha Houndom to relocate them to stop a swarm of Paras from raiding the city, thankfully his Marshtomp had evolved and defeated the alpha. The Pokemon Rangers had a nice valley far enough away that was perfect for the Dark Fire types, and there was supposedly a river full of water types between the valley and the habitat of the Paras, so there was no way for them to go after them or return to their old habitat.

Getting up from his computer he thought back to Delia's message. She had sent a text that she was worried about a new hire at her restaurant, and was that a surprise when he and Misty first visited Pallet Town! To think Ash had grown up in around a commercial restaurant, and that it was famous! But the girl was the problem or had a problem. She had been settling in fine but all of a sudden she had started to jump at anything and seemed to have closed off from people. Delia had contacted him because she had a Johto accident and he currently was at learning about medicine in Viridian City and was wondering if he heard anything from Johto from either the towm or his position as a Gym Leader. He had sent back that he hadn't heard anything, but he didn't tell her that a few days ago he had run into Karen, a member of the Elite Four, while his party was hunting the pack in the mountains. Sure she had said something about a monstrous creature she was tracking but Brock didn't think a Chimera was connected to the girl, but like he told SandyLady, something about Karen was just _wrong_. He couldn't describe it but he'll trust it for now and contact a few of the gym leaders in Johto through couriers, maybe one of them had heard something.

As Brock walk out of his room he never thought that maybe the monstrous creature Karen was hunting was really the girl in question, never thought that maybe others were watching people like him who would help her without question. Brock never saw the glint of light a pair of binoculars gave off as a silent watcher cataloged his activities.

Lilith was able to identify the Aura from the sparks and had tracked her to and from a bus stop and was able to finally catch her and was currently tailing her toward the Professor's lab. When she saw the girl in question she was able to get a general read of her Aura, this girl was someone with a good heart and a bit of creativity, and watching the interactions she had when she interacted with people and Pokémon between her and the lab she seemed to be a pleasant person. A good fashion sense, natural beauty and what looked like a great personality and a bit of _creativity_ , the prince had a good one after him.

Lilith let a smirk grace her lips before she walked a tiny bit faster; she had to time this just right, she reached for a button on a crossing post and hit Serena's hand.

"Sorry about that, you need to cross too?" Lilith asked the honey haired girl.

"Yeah, I'm heading toward Professor Sycamore lab, what about you." Serena asked as she looked at the black clothed girl. There was something that seemed to pull Serena out of the shell she had around herself.

"The same, he has some information that I need for my journey. Oh, sorry I forgot to introduce myself, the names' Lilly and you are?" Lilly said she offered Serena a hand.

"Serena Yvonne, nice to meet you Lilly." Serena said as they both walked toward the Professors lab.

"Nice to meet you too Serena, so have you decided on a goal for your journey?" Lilly asked as the walked toward the lab's door.

Serena only blushed and walked faster, opening the door, pretending that she hadn't heard anything.

"Hello? Is Professor Sycamore around?" Serena called out as they walked into the building

"That's me. I'm up here." A voice called out from atop a set of stairs opposite the doorway

"Huh? Hello there. I'm Serena and this is Lilly."

"I bet you two are here to become Pokémon Trainers." Sycamore said as he smiled at the two girls as he walked down the stairs.

"She is, I'm here for the information you have on when the Pokémon Contests happen." Lilly said as she held up a Pokéball.

"Yup. Also, Professor, I saw this Trainer on the news. The report was all about how he had saved a Garchomp." Serena said as she went a bit red in the face.

"Oh, you're talking about Ash." Sycamore said as Serena smiled. _Ash, I knew it!_

"I ran into him at the Pokemon Center. He said he was heading for the Santalune Gym." Lilly said, causing Serena to turn and look at her.

"Santalune Gym? Hmm. Professor, may I choose a Pokémon?" Serena said turning back to the Professor.

"Of course. And do you have any idea which Pokémon you'd like?" Sycamore asked. Lilly stood back and watch with a smile. A trainers first Pokémon was a mystical moment that only happen once for anyone, and only after a while did people understand what happened to them.

"Yup."

"All right. Everybody out!" Sycamore called to the right before a woman in a white lab coat led three forms into the room.

"These are the Kalos Pokémon new Trainers may choose from, Fennekin, Chespin and Froakie. Which Pokémon will you choose as your partner?" Sycamore asked as he turned back to Serena with a smile.

 **Crusaders:** Knights who launched attack on Homeland and kidnapped Ash and Delia 

**Aura Link** : The result of two or more auras connecting, the people must meet and spend time with each other first, but when entering an area of 50 miles area sparks seemingly flow between auras unless something is blocking connection

 **Psi-Changer** : Aura Equipment: Gemstone Type Special. A Gem that creates a false 'mind' that is the opposite of what the wearer is thinking, a convert defense against mind readers


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Hey all here's chapter four. I wanted to finish this last night but the Battle scene with Serena and Lilith against the Chimera just came out of nowhere and I had to add it to the chapter. And over 200 hits already, thank you guys so much. So here's the next chapter, enjoy and Happy Turkey Day

"Ah! , Before you make your decision, this is your Pokédex. Here." Sycamore said as he handed Serena a flat card-shaped with a holographic screen in its center.

"If you point your Pokédex towards a Pokémon, it'll search for it automatically. Why not give it a try? Oh, Sophie could you get the what we talked about earlier?" Sycamore said to Sophie who nodded and walked off.

"Lily, my name is Lilly." Lilith said as she smiled.

"Okay." Serena said as she walked toward the three Pokémon and pointed her Pokédex at a small yellow fox with red tuffs in its ears.

"Fennekin, the Fox Pokémon. Fennekin expels hot air that can reach nearly 400 degrees." The Pokédex reported as the Fennekin sneezed.

"Amazing! And you're next." Serena said as she pointed at a small bipedal light-brown front with a green shell.

"Chespin, the Spiny Nut Pokémon. Chespin can flex the soft spikes on its head, making them so stiff and sharp, they can even pierce through stone." The Pokédex reported as the Chespin flexed.

"I get it. And finally..." Serena trailed off as she looked at the last one. Before she could scan the last one Sophie walked back into the room carrying a box.

"Froakie, the Bubble Frog Pokémon. From its chest and back, he creates bubbles called Frubbles, which act as a cushion and soften the blow of an opponent's attack." The Pokédex said as Froakie increased the Frubbles around its neck, causing Serena to pull back in shock.

"Wow! This'll come in handy." She commented as she looked at her Pokédex.

"Like it?" Sycamore asked with a laugh in his voice at her reactions

"Yes." Serena said as she looked at him.

"Well then, go ahead and pick your partner." Sycamore said as the three Pokémon looked at Serena.

"Um, they're all so cute, but I already made up my mind. You see, I knew who I wanted before I left the house." Serena said as she walked toward the first Pokémon she scanned and crunched down to look at the Fire Type.

"Hmm. Fennekin, I pick you. I'm Serena." She said as she smiled at her new partner.

"Fenn!" The Fennekin cried in joy, finally it had a trainer.

"And Lilly, Sophie what you might need, but first do you have a Pokégear?" Sycamore asked Lilith as he accepted the box from Sophie.

Lilith smiled as she exposed her right arm and show the Professor a black armband watch.

"Good, to register at any contest you need to do so in person, for the trial season there open to anyone who decides to enter. To compete at the Grand Festival you have to have 3 Great Ribbons, and you need to win 2 normal Ribbons. When you win at a normal contest you will be award a password to download part of a coordinate that points to the next Great Contest is to be held. But each contest can only give you half a clue once and after you win a Great Ribbon you have to find the next Contest on you own anyway you can. We will advertise them a few days in advance but only in the city they'll held in. But I can tell you that a Normal Contest is in Santalune City in a few days." Sycamore explained as he handed her a Ribbon box.

A few minutes later Serena and Lilly walked out of the lab and Lilith looked at the skies. Seeing the clouds she turned to Serena and smiled at the girl.

"So! Where are you headed? Santalune too? Mind if we travel together?" Lilith asked Serena.

"Sure, I could use some company on the road but why?" Serena asked as the two walked through the city.

"Back home its safer to travel roads together, it's a habit and traveling with someone who was raised with The Defense Treaty is always welcome, what do you use? Me I was taught to strike with a whip" Lilith said as she exposed her left arm to show a whip wrapped around her arm.

"I learned to use a naginata spear; it made me think of home in Kanto when Mom moved us here years ago." Serena said to her new friend as she gestured at her backpack.

A figure covered in a black clock with a hood covering his face walks up to the Moon Shadow Café, entering it with a small glance around him to make sure he wasn't being tracked. He entered the building and saw most of the front room vacate, the expected crowed after a holiday.

"Hello, are you meeting anyone?" A pleasant sounding voice came from woman in maid uniform.

"Yes, the Exac-Strike Party." The man said with a nod. He saw her jolt when he gave the name and smiled under his hood. _Guess the old lady told her employees about the time we saved this place back then._

"Follow me." The woman said with a smile as she led her down a side passage along one of the walls, up a flight of stairs to a door along a wall. Giving a bow the maid walked away as he opened the door and entered the doorway. He came to a small room, Camilla in simple sundress and Magnus in a black shirt and grey pants and two clocks on a rack by the door.

"Hello my old friends, it seems our number might be whole soon." The figure said as he pulled his hood back to reveal Alex'tra Don. Camilla smiled and walked over and gave his a quick hug.

"How have you been Alex, your lands and people?" She asked as she pulled away.

"Alright with the people, and the harvest looks to be good this year. But I think we should talk about a certain… _worm_." Alex said as his eyes lost their cheer and laughter.

"Morg'a did seem to be practically... vicious today. But don't call her that my friend, it's _insulting_ to the worms." Magnus said as he leaned back in his chair.

"What has the _honorable_ Highlord done that has colored your opinion on her?" Camilla said with a laugh to her voice. Magnus just looked at her with hard eyes.

"Perhaps it was when she tried to _kill us_ during that Entourage Battle so long ago. Or maybe it's the little things, like the last Chimera breeder that cause the change in procedure was from her lands, how bandits that raid cities near hers are never caught on her side or maybe because of how when those ninja inserted and drew off our people before the attack they came at the city from **her** territory, when the little witch had said security in her lands was secure." Magnus said frostily as his words hit Camilla hard.

"The Entourage Battle might have been an accident, I know giving what she said, but the change was there so that I see why ruled what they did. The bandits could be using the Underground to move around and have a man in her guards or looking the other way. And the ninja, well they were ninja." Camilla said with a sigh as she shook her head. The boss was in a rage after the attack, her predecessor had died in battle and by the time an investigation was ready to even start Morg'a people had presented evidence that showed that the invaders had infiltrated through one of the port cities in her domain. The local forces had been dealing with a Tier 4 Chimera attack and had missed them, but some people didn't believe them. The instigation had gone forward, but no evidence was found leaving Morg'a free.

"The bandits that plague us might have a base in her lands that she knows about true, and the Tier 4 could have been created and released by design, there are people sick enough for that in this world. But still, we've found her! Sometime in the near future she will be home and we can get to know our godson/nephew. How did you finally find her?" Alex said as he smiled at his old teammates.

"We didn't find her, we found him. It was someone looking at the last Kanto Pokémon Tournament; there was an incident before one of his matches that sparked a researcher's interest. But he's been sealed, heavily at that. I've scarcely begun to grasp the theory behind them, I'm hoping Lilith befriends him and sends back detailed scans, if I can't find a way to break them, he might have to get out of them on his own. I can't imagine what Delia is going through." Magnus said with a grimace. Alex squeezed Magnus's shoulder and shared a look with his friends.

"She had a master Caster's ranking when she was taken. Even if they have her sealed too I know that she's fighting back with everything she is. But enough doom, gloom and work. Let's have a nice meal and share in some work gossip. One of my lord's kids is dating someone from his mother's rival's city, she's exasperated about it, sent three requests for anything to take up her kid's time so he can't see her in the last week alone. But tell me about this incident that let us find him." Alex said with a laugh as talk turned to lighter topics.

A lone Skarmory flies through the darkening skies, a keen observe would see that this Steel-type barley twitched as it flew, that it had none of the individual movements that signaled muscle twitches. It had followed its programing and hung back when the other members of Searcher Squadron 1 had attacked the focused Aura source and trailed it and its rescuers to their home. Protocol when loss of over 50% of mission strength decreed that surviving units return to base. For the last two days it had used the Wind Road to relocate as close to home base as possible before using it improvements to accelerate its travel speed, flying faster and higher then even airplanes. It slowed down and glided downward when it reached the area of its home. Flying above a forest it flew right by three Zubat with metal wings flying a patrol. It passed over a Rhydon with a metal canons in place of their left arms, treads on its feet and metal spikes on it tail leading three Growlithe with metal spikes along their backs and robotic legs with a long single claw at the end. It finally reached a stone wall around a complex. Two parties of 4 Machokes with oversized metal fists walked alongside the wall with the gate being guarded by two Machamps with 2 lances in place of their lower arms with two cannons in place of their upper arms. It flew past a refrigerated structure to enter a window at the top of the tower, entering a large open chamber, a humanoid form lay hunched over the corpse of a Hitmonchan on an examination table. When the Skarmory landed on a table next to a computer a wire snaked out of its mouth to connect to the computer. As the data was downloaded the person turned, revealing a man with a cybernetic right side of his face with an eye that shinned a dark blue. When he saw the Skarmory what remained of his face gained a frown.

"Gather SKG25, where is the rest of your wing? What has become of them?" A raspy voice said as the figure walked toward the computer. As he pulled up the report and frowned as he absorbed the data.

"Gather SKG25 report to reprocessing for rearmament/upgrade. Computer, return specimen FHitCha01 to stasis and prepare the Water specimens in lab 2. Also add Aura wavelength to file AU." He ordered as he walked out of the room. Walking down a flight of stairs he

"A Problem Metalface?" A voice purred as a person walked toward him. The person was female with an hourglass figure; she wore a crimson cheongsam that ended at her ankles, with black stockings on her legs that ended at her thighs. Her arms had black gloves that went to her elbows; her pouty lips had gray lipstick and grey eye shadow above her blue eyes while her pink wavy hair went to her waist. Her pink hair identified her as one of the Joy Family, but the sneer on her black lips left that in doubt.

"Sorrow, back from taking out that Chimera already. How did the modified Cannoneer handle their first field test?" The figure rasped as he walked past the woman who fell into step behind him

"They were adequate for prototypes, there were a few problems with close combat but I killed them and brought back another corpse to make a new one." Sorrow said as she

"Another Aggron moved into the mountains? Then the lure Resentment created works. The removed limbs were saved and I can modify the arms to handle the weight of the cannons, or perhaps I can move them to the shoulders." He mused as they exited the hallway to enter a grand hall with banners with a wrench crossed over a scalpel in an X shape. Passing through the hall they entered a doorway. Reading a book in the room they entered was a tall woman with DD breast in a white halter top and a white leather pants. Her pink hair was in a high ponytail with a bang over her right eye with white eye shadow on her left eye and white lipstick on her pouty lips.

"Ignorance, back from spying on your target sister dear?" Sorrow asked as she walked over and put her arms around her.

"Yes, I was able to discover a connection to Lysandre Labs thanks to my little spies, what about your mission." Ignorance asked daintily, totally out of character given her cloths.

"Basic Metal type Chimera, brought it back to harvest the Bio-Metal but old' Metalface here wants to see the boss for some reason." Sorrow answered her sister before following Metalface who didn't stop.

"Sister must you call Dr. Sulnik such a demining name?" Ignorance complained as she closed her book and followed her sister and the Doctor out of the room. Finally the three people came to a doorway with an intercom on the wall next to it, opening the door was a woman in a maid's outfit with stitching on her face and around her forehead.

"How may I help you doctor?" The maid asked in a robotic voice as she stood before the party.

"A problem has arisen with gather wings, I need to speak with the Master." Dr. Sulnik said, causing the maid to bow and let him into the room.

The room the party entered had computers around the chamber and in the center was a bed with blue glowing tubes connecting to a figure on it. By the bed were two Frankenmon with the body of an Arcanine with the torso of an Infernape without the flames on its head.

"What has happened?" A low voice questioned from the bed as the two Frankenmon turn to look at the party.

"Two days ago master Gather SKG13 sighted a Pokémon with an Aura strength well above its size world allow, it moved to capture it and when it escaped SKG13 sent an order for help of any Gathers in the area, wings led by SKG20 and SKG10 responded with SKG25 staying back to return if the forces were destroyed. They corned the target before a flock of Pidgeottos lead by a Pidgeot protected the target. At this junction the 5 members of Wings SKG20 and SKG10 arrived to assets in the capture when an unknown trainer attacked and destroyed the Gather units. I have ordered that the Aura wave length be saved and updated the watch file."

"Where were they when they found the target?" the Master wheezed as he absorb the information.

"In the southern oceans near a turn of the Wind Road." Dr. Sulnik said as a hologram of the world appeared and the area the action took place was circled.

"Designate that area a place of interest, send orders for new material gathered to replace losses. Ignorance, you are to see what the League knows about that area, prepare to gather materials for the creation of Battlers. Have Resentment begin designing mobility upgrades for said Battlers." The Master commanded as the Frankenmon got up and crossed their arms, sending his minions to do his will.

"Oh! This is terrible. The sun's setting and we're still in the middle of the woods." Serena said as she carried her new partner as she and Lilly walked through the woods.

"My gear will only able to show so much detail out of cities with what data I have, I'll download a better map when we get to the Center, it's supposed to be nearby." Lilith said with a sigh as she walked.

"Does this mean we're sleeping out in the open tonight? Hm?" Serena asked as she looked around, drawing a laugh from Lilith.

"Not much experience with that princess?" Lilith teased her new friend as she blushed.

"My mom didn't like it so much but I did rough it with my class a few times over the years. I didn't do it enough to get an opinion on it though. If we could find the Pokémon Centre, there's no doubt we'd be able to stay there" Serena said with a huff.

"Like I said, I need to download better map data for more details. What that?" Lilith asked as she and Serena saw a figure behind a tree. Serena smiled and walked toward the tree as Lilith slowly reached for her whip.

"Excuse me! Can you please tell us where the Pokémon Centre is?" Serena stared at the figure, not noticing a pointed object moving toward her from behind the tree, but Lilith did see and drew her whip as she realized what it was.

"Serena get away from it, that's a Chimera!" Lilith cried as her whip wrapped around Serena pulling her away from the creature before a stinger limb shot down where she had been a moment ago.

"Nidorina, Liepard to battle!" Lilith cried as she released her two Pokémon as Serena's Fennekin jumped down before its trainer. The creature ambled into the fading light. It was gold colored with black mandibles on its face bellow three multifaceted eyes. Its body was segmented with three parts, its head on the front above two pincer claws and four spider like legs on its middle with two tails ending with stingers on its back.

"Bug type Chimera, I fought something like this before! Don't let its claws get you or it can sting you to knock you out if it's like the last one I fought that looked like it!" Lilith called out as Serena got out her naginata and spun it around.

"You led, I follow!" Serena called as she deflected a stinger from her Pokémon.

"Try to cut off the tail, it might run after that!" Lilith said as she tried to hit one of the Chimera's eyes but it blocked with it claws. _Fuck the mission I've started to like her, but the laws are clear, only use Aura abilities if you have to and we can survive this without them, sorry Serena, with your blade you might have to take your first kill. I just hope this thing is alone._ Lilith hated herself for the plan that was forming in her mind; she knew how people off home reacted when they made their first kill.

"Liepard, Dark Pulse when you've got a target! Nidorina Double Team try to draw away from Serena! Serena, watch for your target!" Lilith ordered as she tried to get behind it. Nidorina glowed as copies of it formed between Serena and the Chimera. The Chimera tried to grab Liepard with one of its claws but the Dark type dodged to the side, while Lilith's whip scored hits on its center segment. The chimera's mandables opened and shot a string of sticky silk at Nidorina that hit some of the copies before black rings from Liepard hit its face, blast off part of its right mandible. The Chimera cried and shot one of its tail stingers at one of the copies, allowing Serena to dart in and slice off the stinger and a segment of its tail before her Fennekin shot a sphere of orange sparks at the wound, burning it.

"Good job Serena! Liepard charge up a Hyperbeam to core it! Nidorina Protect between Liepard and the Chimera until she's ready!" Lilith said as her whip scored hits. The Chimera looked at its prey and decided to retreat. Opening its mouth as its sole remain mandible opened its mouth released a fog that covered the clearing, causing its opponents to cough and lose sight of it. When the fog cleared it was to reveal a green oval between where the Chimera had been and Serena and the Pokémon, Lilith was further down the path with her whip drawn. Looking around she put her whip back around her arm and recalled her Pokémon as Serena put her spear away before she reached down and picked up her Fennekin and hugged it.

"Fennekin you were so brave, I'm so proud of you!" Serena said with a smile on her face before she saw Lilith's face. The frown on her friend's face causes Serena to look around before turning to her.

"Lilly, what's wrong, we fought it off!" Serena said and frowned as she saw that her words caused Lilith's frown to grow.

"That thing was smart enough to escape when it didn't have an advantage, that's not normal." Lilith said as she looked around with a frown on her face. Serena looked at her friend before a thought struck her.

"You said it would run if I cut one of its stingers off!" Serena cried as Lilith adopted a sheepish look.

"I said it might run off, and I was trying to keep you from freezing up and becoming a target, I thought we would have to kill it." Lilith mumbled as Serena and Fennekin just stared at her.

"Is everything okay?" A voice called from behind them, causing the girls to turn and see Nurse Joy running toward them with a Wigglytuff by her side.

"I heard screams, are you two okay?" Nurse Joy asked with worry on her face as she took in the silk on the ground and the exhausted looks on the two girls faces. When she saw the stinger dripping purple blood Joy went white and stared at the two girls.

"Oh, we're fine, we just fought off a bug type Chimera, say, where's your Pokémon Center?" Lilith asked as she smiled at Nurse Joy.

"It's down the path ahead of us." Joy said absentmindedly as she starred at the stinger in the road.

"Hey, Serena?" Lilith said with a grin on her face. The Chimera was gone, time to move on.

"Yes?" Serana asked as she and her Pokémon looked at her friend's infectious grin as her own started to grow.

"Race ya!" Lilith said as she ran down to road.

"No fair!" Serena laughed as she and Fennekin followed, both of them glad to be out of danger.

Behind some vegetation three multifaceted eyes stared at the figures moving out of the forest before it walked off into the gloom, it would see them again and then it would eat them.

Amanda sighed to herself as she walked towards Pallet House. She ran a hand through her hair before she shook her head when she stopped and checked her appearance at a window that looked into Pallet House's seating area, she had to look her best as a greater. Her blond hair stopped at her shoulders, her eyes blue had a bit of purple eyeliner to bring them out, red lip-gloss for her lips, and she was wearing black pants with a purple shirt with baggy arms that showed the restaurants logo on the back as all permanent staff did, all in all she was ready for the day. _Perfect and_ _now if Albia wasn't acting like a cornered Rattata._ Amanda thought as she sighed.

For the last two days Albia had been on edge and looked like someone had cornered her against a wall. Ever since that gold-digging bitch had comeback from her vacation come to think of it. Guinevere Oak was a grade A bitch in school and when Delia and the Professor wasn't around but she hasn't even talked to the girl yet. But with her it was always something, the only decent thing that whore had ever done was give birth to her children and the Professor practically raised them! But enough about _her_ , time to get to work. As she entered the restaurant she saw Delia poke her head out of the Kitchen.

"Good, you're here Amanda, I need to talk to you for a few minutes." Delia said as she walked towards her. Amanda noticed Delia was wearing a new necklace, a multi-faceted blue crystal on a chain rested above her breasts.

"Something wrong Delia?" Amanda said as she saw Delia adopt a sheepish look.

"We're almost out of berries and it's your turn to visit the orchard." Delia said as she scratched her head and refused to look at Amanda. Getting new barriers was one of the jobs that was on a rotation at the restaurant, they grew fast enough in the 'wild' that people sent were able to get them easily enough even in winter with the right Pokémon to help.

"So you're taking over my shifts while I'm gone?" Amanda said flatly as she folded her arms and looked at her boss.

"yes. Oh, take Albia with you. The girl's been acting scared about something, maybe a change of pace will help her." Delia said as she smiled.

"Yeah, I'll see if I can get anything about what's wrong with her. The baskets are outside your house right? And go to the employ's girls room and use the makeup we keep there for once." Amanda sighed as she turned around.

"They are and tell me if you find out anything." Delia said as she took position behind the podium and ignored the makeup advice.

"By the way Delia that's a nice necklace, where'd you get it?" Amanda said as walked toward the door. As she walked out the door she heard Delia call out an answer.

"Ginny gave it to me, she said she found it when she was heading home and thought of me." Amanda was glad Delia was behind her, she wouldn't see the scowl on her face. _Guinevere_ never gave anyone presents because she thought of someone when she saw something. She really needed to find out why that bitch was always hanging around Delia, whatever reason she was sure it wasn't for Delia's benefit.

 _Keep it together girl, you just need to catch anything that can get you out of here._ Albia thought to herself as she held a Pokéball in her pocket as she tried to watch every alley as she walked to her Quest. Ever since she had sensed that woman, she was jumping at every shadowed alley; sure she was surrounded by those killers.

A hand landed on her shoulder and she shot to the side and saw Amanda looking at her with worry in her eyes.

"Albia, we **will** talk about that but later. Today you and I are going through the forest picking fresh berries. Today is supposed to have good weather and it's the perfect place for a nice talk." Amanda said in a no nonsense tone with a hard look to her eyes. All Albia could was nod, wondering what in Arceus name she could do to get out of that talk and hopping she would find a Spearow in the forest at least, then she and her Pokémon could rough it off the Routes until she had a flyer that could carry her, she wasn't going over a cliff without wings ever again.

A bipedal form crashed through the forest, not sparing a single backwards glance as it rushed onward. Ever since it had run into the things chasing it, it had known no peace. It had taken out one of them, but the only thing that accomplished was to bring out a _something_ to lead the other two, a …human? Whatever the leader was it was able to keep pace and track it better than the first chasers and led from the front, it had abilities that…. It dodged to the right as a blade of pink energy suddenly sliced downward where it had been standing just a moment ago.

"So little Bug, will you stand and fight or do we continue the hunt?" A voice called out with a jovial tone to it from the direction the energy came from.

The biped didn't spare a single look at back before it ran in the opposite direction of the voice.

"The hunt continues my hounds, let us run down our prey! For the Queen and for Glory!" The voice called as two large shadows stalked after the biped with a laugh in its voice.

Tom sighed to himself as he walked through the rented cabin. Since they sent that coded message back to command the orders were to wait until a _human_ courier could pick up a scan of the Queen and keep their eyes open. Tom had sent his Weavile and Noctowl out when they received the message to set up sensors around the cabin before ordering his Noctowl to hide near the Queen's home and follow targets when it received a signal. Sapphire had added a few seals to make the cabin more durable and fireproof in case it was attacked and Rachel had drawn up a watch schedule and was currently taking stock of their Aura Equipment and their personal weapons while Sapphire was meditating trying to get a feel for the Natural Aura of the area, trying to create a mystical early warning system in case any Casters or Auralists were about.

"WHAT THE HELL?" Sapphire cried as her eyes shot open, her trance broken as she had felt a surge of Aura.

"We got incoming Sapphire!?" Rachel called as she and Tom started to draw their weapons and reached for their Pokéballs with their free hands.

"NO! A surge of Fairy Aura just flashed somewhere in the forest! Someone Used an Aura Technique ! It wasn't a Pokemon or Human!" Sapphire said as she got up and scrambled for her staff.

"A Fairy attack? Not a human or Pokémon? Ladies I think we should it's time to Blastoise Up as me ma would say. And…hello. We've got movement in front of the Queen's house." Tom said as he caught sight of his laptop's screen.

Albia looked around when they stopped before a house at the edge of the Pallet town line.

"Come out, Arcanine!" She jolted when she heard the command Amanda spoke as a Pokéball flew through the air and release the Fire-type. Amanda moved towards the door and retrieved three 2 sided bags that she put on her Fire Pokémon.

"Okay we're after Orans, Tamatos, Nanabs, Leppa and Razzs. And to make it easier, a few years ago Delia planted a berry orchard to make harvesting new berries when we need them a breeze." Amanda said as she led her Pokémon and Albia towards the woods. Albia could feel eyes on her as they entered the forest but it was the same kind she used to feel when she and her Pokémon went to find wild ones to fight and train with, both comforting and challenging and she started to relax for once.

Amanda looked at Albia as they walked and grew more concerned for her. _Once we walked into the woods the locals started to eye us up and judge us and she's acting like she on a Sunday stroll. Whatever is bothering her has to do with what's in cities, people? Is she on the run from someone? Wait, this started when that gold digging slut came back from her trip! Albia started to act scared as soon as_ _Guinevere left! That's ether the mother of all coincidence or the kid is scared of the tramp! But the bitch didn't even react to the kid when Delia introduced them, so if Albia is scared of Guinevere, but Guinevere never met the girl before, so what's the source of her fears?_ Amanda thought as her eyes grew hard. Her own history with _Guinevere Oak_ aside, if the bitch hurt the younger girl she wouldn't live long to enjoy it.

"Okay Albia we're almost where Delia and Ash planted the grove, that Delia's world trotting trainer son by the way. From experience a few wild Pokémon might be around, but if we leave them alone they leave us alone. If a Chimera is here stay back, my partner will hold it off so I can get my blades out and kill it. You got anything?" Amanda asked as she pulled back her sleeves to reveal two hilts sticking out of two sheaths on her arms.

Albia looked down and let her hand slip into her pocket, looking anywhere but at Amanda and started to walk a bit faster. The kid didn't want her to know what she had to defend herself, this might be as serious as Delia was thinking.

"So this grove, what kind of pokemon might be feeding there? I saw Spearows and Rattatas on my way into Pallet, what other species are around here?" Albia said as she smiled hollowly.

"Your running from someone, aren't you?" Amanda said, causing Albia to stop cold and stare at her elder.

"You don't have a bounty for anything, I have a brother in law enforcement and he sends me updates about that so you're not a criminal. You don't have an air of a noble and you can do your job like you've cooked for yourself a lot so running from a decision your parents or family made is out too. That only leaves your running from someone or a group, why I don't know but it's probably something on their end. And for some reason _Guinevere Oak_ is involved." Amanda finished with a growl as Albia just looked at her and slowly paled.

"Listen kid, I don't know what your problem is but trust this, I hate Guinevere Oak for a few things in our past, she's the last person on the planet I would ever help. Please kid, you can trust me and Delia." Amanda said softly as she squeezed one of Albia's shoulders.

"But what if I can't trust Delia because of her headaches?" Albia asked softly as she hugged herself. Amanda did a double take and went still at what she heard.

"Child, do you know anything about what really happened to Delia and Ash?" Amanda whispered in total shock. This could change things, Delia could find out where she and Ash came from, they could finder his father they, could… _Wait, was THAT BITCH MIXIED UP IN DELIA'S TROUBLES? SHE CAME BACK TO PALLET THREE MONTHS AFTER DELIA TURNED UP!_ She went dead still when she saw the state Albia was in, tears were running down her face and one hand in pocket, and enlarged Pokéball in it with her other hand around her necklace, a look of such fear on the girl's face she hadn't seen since the Chimera Invasion 5 years ago.

"Albia, explain. Please?" Amanda begged the girl before her.

"It's something I don't fully know about, I was told about it by an old woman in the mountains between Johto and Kanto. She found me when she… Fished me out of the river I'd fallen in when the people hunting me force me over a cliff." Albia said as she closed her eyes as Amanda starred at her. _I owe Ms. Ketchem and what I can tell Ms. Amanda is telling the truth about not wanting to help Oak, if she is one of them.. Wait, what is that… THERE!_

"Something is coming at us! Defend us Flaaffy!" Albia screamed as she threw her Pokéball. A bipedal pink sheep with a tail ending in a blue orb appeared before them and stood ready for battle.

"WHERE!" Amanda snarled as she looked around as her Arcanine snarled and braced itself. She only had her Aracine with her, she had left her other Pokémon back home today, a mistake she regretted already.

"SOUTH!" Albia screamed as they heard rustling and out the undergrowth came a segmented grey bipedal wounded Bug-Type with two spiky pincers on its head, two long and thin arms ended in three grey claws. Following it was a teenage boy with steel gray hair in a green tabard with a stylized Emerald G on it center over a black shirt, black boots and gray pants. He holding a rapier in his left hand and on his right hand was a glove with a green gem set on the back of the hand.

"So beyond the target of my hunt I have found two maidens fair, a good day for Knight Acel." From the teen a jovial voice rang out as he smiled. Amanda's Arcanine pounded to stand by the Pinsir and growled. Amanda slowly drew her two long daggers from her arms as she starred at the G as her eyes hardened.

"We might have a problem if your hunt isn't to add this one to your team, or if that G is for Gaia." Amanda growled as Albia's Flaffy moved closer as its trainer looked at her senior. Albia had heard about Team Gaia, and the stories about them had originally painted a picture of idiots but over the last few days a darker tone had been shown in their revived state.

"A Woman of battle, a true treat to be savored, and with a mind and soul of courage. With Us among Gaia's chosen you will be by dusks shadow." As the words left his mouth behind him two shadows walked into the light. They were made of wood crafted to look like armored knights with a large green gem in its center; its head had three green gems in a triangle. Its blocky legs ended in four talons on each side of the legs. Their arms ended in hands with three claws with a green gem in its center with green bulbs on each side of its limbs with green gems on its shoulders.

"Knight Stalkers take our mark down! I will keep the maiden fair busy." Sylvestre commanded as he smiled at Amanda. As the two creatures walked toward the Bug type the gems on their shoulders glowed and many green energy leaves formed and shot at the Pinsir.

"Flaaffy, Protect!" Albia cried as her Pokémon intercepted the attack and a green energy sphere formed around the two Pokémon, the leaves dissipating when they hit the energy barrier.

Meanwhile Amanda had blocked the thrust of Acel's rapier and sliced his right arm, lightly drawing his blood which only seemed to cause Sylvestre to laugh at what she had done. Her Arcanine fired a Flamethrower that he jumped over with a grin at what they were doing, acting as if they were playing dodge ball.

"A spirited try, let's see how you do when I add some Aura?" Sylvestre said with an evil grin as he began to glow pink and began to increase the speed of his thrusts his reactions to Arcanine's attack faster, his jumps higher.

Amanda began to try to block his strikes, succeeding half the time and feeling the blade hit her arms. _This 'Knight' isn't an Aura Guardian, so how was he able to use Aura, not counting the color difference!_

Seeing what Amanda was dealing with Albia looked what her Pokémon was fighting, trying to think of anything to help. The Pinsir looked first at her, then at the leaves hitting the shield before it cried out.

"Pinsir! Pin sir pin!" Flaaffy dropped the Protect when it heard the Bug Types cries, letting a few of the energy leaves hit itself before it moved to the side as the Pinsir brought its hands together and released a ball of blue energy that shot at the Knight Stalker to the left, hitting its center gem. As the gem gained a few cracks, Albia noticed that the leaves it formed dissipated. _This might be what we need, if I'm right about that things reaction to the damage._ Albia thought as she reached under her shirt and drew a few throwing knives.

Amanda parried the rapier with her left blade, trying to hit her opponent with her right blade missing him by inches. Sylvestre gave a laugh as he dodged the flames and blade. As he moved his eyes drank in his appornent, trusting the Stalkers to hand the younger girl and the other two Pokémon. _This woman is a treasure! She has both looks and bravery, and that Pokémon is well trained, give her the blessing and a better match I couldn't find! The girl I can see becoming an apprentice to one of our casters, maybe even one of the Queen's handmaidens._ He thought as he aimed a thrust at Amanda's right shoulder which she dodged and sliced down with her left blade. Truly he was have so much fun with her.

"Flaaffy, Brick Break on the central gem!" Hearing Albia's command Amanda saw her opponent stiffing. Turning his head in a flash he eyes went wide at what he saw. The Electric type had jumped at the right most Stalker and hit its center gem with a glowing arm, cracking it to pieces. As the Stalker fell backwards Amanda scored a hit to Acel's face, creating a gash down his right eye. Before he could move a throwing knife hit his left should, cutting deep to his bone. Sylvestre eyes hardened as he reached under his tabard and pulled out a flow chain that glowed pink, the glow consuming it before a pink colored glow flowed his up his arm and covered his body, forcing the knife out of his arm as his wounds healed and he smirked before he disappeared from sight.

"OOFF!" Amanda cried out as Sylvestre's right fist hit her stomach, sending her flying at a tree before her Arcanine shot between her and the tree hitting it in place of its trainer.

"Amanda!" Albia cried out as she saw the state of her friend. Hearing a cry from her Flaaffy she saw that the Stalker had wrapped a vine from its arms around the Pinsir and used it as a club to hit her Flaaffy.

"Surrender, you've put up a good fight but my ruling is true, by dusks shadow among the Chosen you will be." Albia heard and saw the Knight Stalker walk toward her. She looked at her Flaaffy and saw it was pinned under the Pinsir. Her hands went to the pendent around her neck, could she risk it? She thought of how Amanda and Delia had treated her, how the others at Pallet House had treated her, could she let Amanda be taken captive? Her eyes hardened and she made her choice as she removed her necklace.

Amanda struggled to move her Pokémon off her, she had lost her weapons but she had some unarmed combat training so she could hold this scum off long enough for the kid to escape and get help. She stiffened when she felt the needle point of his rapier under her chin.

"So my beauty, shall it be under your own power or will I carry you to your new future?" The playfulness in his voice made her snarled at him. A crash sound to the left of her sight, and she saw Sylvestre blanch when he turned his head.

"Get away from her, now!" Albia cried out. Turning to face her she stared. She felt the blade move away from her throat as the so called Knight took a step back. Turning her head she was shocked by what she saw, Albia was glowing a yellow color and the other Stalker was spilt in half from the where the center gem was supposed to be.

"I Said…" Albia began before she disappeared from sight as before she appeared above the knight slashing down with a glowing leg in a savage axe kick that his left hand, cracking the gem on his glove. Albia grabbed Sylvestre and threw him backwards over her shoulder toward when he first entered the grove.

"GET AWAY FROM HER!" Albia cried out as she adopted a stance with her arms at her side, her left leg behind her right, her face hard. Gone was the girl how was so scared, here now was a warrior ready for battle.

Sylvestre stumbled back to his feet and moved backwards suddenly, dodging an electric bolt from Flaaffy as Pinsir helped it to its feet. He looked and saw Amanda getting back up and moving toward her dropped blades as her Arcanine started to growl and release flames from its mouth. _Perhaps it's time to live to fight another day, but I will claim my maiden fair. And perhaps the thunder maiden might find a match of my brother, he does need someone._ Sylvestre thought as he cupped his right hand and formed a pink energy ball in it.

"Till next we meet my flowers of war." He said as threw the ball upwards, which exploded in a flash of light that blinded them everyone in the clearing. Amanda looked around and leaned against the tree behind her, that was almost as bad as fighting a Tier 2 with her team alone.

"Amanda!" Albia cried as she ran over, looking nervous and frightened at the same time.

"I'm okay kid. Good moves and I guess that trick you pulled is why people are after you?" Amanda said as she smiled at the kid who looked her age. Albia hands went to her neck and started to look around franticly. The Pinsir walked over to her and handed her a grey crystal on a chain. With a look of gratitude to the Bug type she put it back around her neck.

"Yes, yes it is." Albia said as she ran to her, looking more scared then during the battle. _She's scared how I'm going to react to those abilities of hers, what caused her to go on the run and who chased here into Kanto?_ Amanda had a feeling she wasn't going to like what she heard, but best finish what they came here for first.

"Kid you can tell me later right now…. What's happening to those Stalker things?" Amanda asked as she looked behind Albia, causing her turn and see the wood parts of them decomposing extremely fast until only a few green gemstones were left. Reaching down Amanda grabbed one of the stones, throwing it up before she caught it again, looking at it as she began to think deeply.

"Kid, help me pick these up, we can throw them in a river I know on the way back to Pallet town. After that lets finish our job and get some barriers for the restaurant, we'll tell people a horde of Ratattas led by two Raticates. And you should deal with that little guy." Amanda said with a grin, pointing behind Albia, causing her to turn. The Pinsir had walked toward her and taken a knee before Albia.

"What's it doing?" Albia whispered to Amanda in wonder.

"I think it wants to join you." Amanda said with a smile on her face.

"Pinsir sir pin!" The Pinsir cried out as it raised its head and looked at her.

"Really? I'm being hunted and I don't know where I'm going to be a year from now and you still want to join me?" Albia asked as she removed a spare Pokéball. At the Bug's nod, Albia smiled.

"In that case, Welcome to the Family!" She cried as she threw the Pokéball. Amanda looked on neutrally, but inside her thoughts were hard. ' _Defend us', 'Welcome to the Family'. Kid you really need someone to help you; I hope Delia can and that you can help her with her memories._

As the Amanda went to gather the gems, she didn't know they were being watched since they entered the grove. Unseen by all the combatants, a lone Noctowl had watched the fight from start to finish, sending a video from the camera it wore to its trainer.

"Well, that was a thing." Tom said as he starred at the laptop open before them. Sapphire stared at him for a few seconds before she exploded.

"A THING TOM! A THING?! An unknown Fairy Auralist is around Pallet and he had at least two golems to command! That means he's allied with a caster that knows Golemcraft! And that girl! She was the waitress at Pallet House; she's a natural Auralist! She had something that let her hide herself from my spell! What is with this Town?!" Sapphire panted as she finished her rant.

"The Auralist might be from this 'Team Gaia' we've heard so much about recently. And the kid, I did hear a few whispers from the dark web before we got this mission about a hunt in Johto where the prey got away; I was looking into a few leads that I thought might have a connection to the invasion when I found the chat." Sarah said as she scowled at the memories that danced behind her eyes.

"We need reinforcements, we need more information about Team Gaia and we need to train ourselves and our Pokémon and we have to have a better exit strategy." Tom said as he held his face, they needed help.

A goblet crashed against the wall, spilling the liquid inside it. The people before the desk cringed, their mistress hadn't taken the news they gave her well.

"FOOLS! DEGENERATES! WASTE OF AURA! " A female voice shrieked, HighLord Morg'a was throwing a fit. Before her stood some of her followers and on her right stood her Carnivine. On her opposite side was a tall woman in a green business suit with long black hair with green lipstick on her heart shaped face holding a clipboard to her D cup chest.

"If your finished boss, I can finish my report." A voice drawled from a male figure with black hair and a beard and wearing a dark poncho over brown pants and a black shirt.

"Aster you better have some story Diablo or so help me I'll feed you to my Carnivine." She snarled as she poured herself a new goblet of wine. Her Carnivine opened its mouth and saliva dropped to the floor as it stared at the people before it.

"That map you gave us led us straight to a Trapinch nest, easy enough to scare off with the proper attacks, after that finding the markings proved a bit of a trouble but we found them. After my Dodrio drilled a hole we blasted down and that's when we woke something up. The first sign of trouble was when a rainbow beam hit one of our Sandshrew then a smokescreen formed around us before somethings jumped up and started to slash at us. I parried a blow or two by sheer instant and order a retreat, so my Claydoll teleported us out of the cave and I ordered the wounded to be helped onto their Pokémon and we headed as fast as we could, masking the tunnel we used as best we could. What were we supposed to find anyway, some kind of treasure or something?" Diablo said flatly as he crossed his arms and met her glare with his own. Morg'a took a deep drink of her wine as she mentally decided what to tell her agents.

"The scroll that came with the map said it was a repository of knowledge. Mei, where the hell is the person who translated it, didn't I order him to show himself?" Morg'a asked as she turned to her left with a frown.

"When Mr. Diablo sent a message that the expedition was returning due to complications I sent some forces to find him knowing you would want an explanation, sadly M' Lady when the team I sent reached the complex he was being held they discovered the guards stationed there missing and the defense destroyed. Unfortunately when the team breached the structure the bodies of the guards were discovered, their blood had been used to write…messages. The translator was missing and as of now it's unknown if it he was responsible for it or not but giving the message it's likely." Mei said flatly as she handed over the clipboard. As she read the papers on it she came upon what the messages were, first she went pale then as she redden she threw the report to the floor, a picture of the word 'FOOL' written in blood shown from where it fell. Diablo just looked at before he sighed.

"So me and mine were sent on a wild Rattata hunt when we should have been loaded to hunt Dragonite, and the guy who made the Quest was laughing at us." He commented drily as Morg'a made small sounds of fury as she broke the glass in her hands as she squeezed it and began to glow green as the plants around the room started to move.

"OUT, ALL OF YOU OUT! Mei, you stay." Morg'a sighed as Diablo and his forces left the room, leaving her Grass type and her secretary with the Highlord. Mei moved behind her mistress and began to massage her neck as Morg'a closed her eyes and sighed.

"This is going to come and bit me in the ass sooner or later. With all that's happened recently another unknown variable on the board is the last thing I need, especially so close to home." Morg'a commented as Mei's fingers worked her magic.

"Have any reports come in? Any reactions from dear Cleo's side to our little…incursion? Anything along the seas or anything else I should know about?" Morg'a asked when she had calmed down.

"The border guards report that the other side has stepped up patrols as of two hours ago, the Highlord Ro Clor sent in a request for an archeologist to be sent around that time as well. Whatever attack Diablo's forces when they breached the chamber must have been gone by the time as there has been no movement of combat assets that our people could see. The fishing fleet report that fish spawning season is underway and that a few Blue Whales have entered our waters, I sent a Dark Quest to a few smuggler dens for about them, it's always profitable this time of year. The mine set up in that old Steel type den reports they've broken through to a cavern, they were excited about something they found the Forman is on this way to report in person. Your daughter returned from boarding school today." Mia's words cause Morg'a to glare and her Carnivine perked up.

"What's happened at the school now?" Morg'a snarled at the news. Morg'a elevation to Highlord had a perquisite, and that was the adoption the of her predecessor's granddaughter. Annamaria, was a beautiful child who was very patriotic, and if the brat found any evidence of half of her long term plans Morg'a would be short a head and the brat would have a regent or be adopted by one of the elites. So to protect herself sent the brat to one of the best boarding school on the island. But a magnet school that had Aura Casting and an Auralist course always seemed to need repairs, sometimes it needed to close for repairs, most of the students would stay in the dorms or travel around the island using sending back homework until the repairs were done but Annamaria would always return home and Morg'a just knew the little brat was spying on her.

"From reports a Pokémon battle cause a series of events that started a fire that caused damage to one of the load baring walls, reports say that it will be closed for the next two weeks." Mia said in her flat tone. Morg'a

"Tell the cook to prepare her favorite, maybe I can earn a few points with the little brat." Morg'a said with a sighed as she led her servant and Pokémon out of the room, hoping she would kill the child's beliefs about her true nature for a few days at least. Unseen and unnoticed, behind a grating along the floor behind them a black Furret had overheard everything that had been said and recorded it on a backpack it was wearing. After it saw them leave it moved through the ducts back to its trainer's room, where she would collect more evidence at the treason her adopted mother had done.

Should of put the first one last chapter but I forgot in rush to finish sorry

 **Chimera:** Creatures born from Pokémon eggs with too much Elemental energy, causing a mutation effect, they either hatch alone or claim their 'parents' as their first victims. Ravenous creatures that eat any organic matter, they are hunted and killed as matter of public safety. Overtime they grow stronger and mutate through an unknown method, a Chimera Tier rating is based how much Aura power by the Homeland, and the rest of the world rate them by size and combat potential. Identified mutations include spawning external bodies to use as drones, mouths in unusual places, wings and gills. They have a special organ that people are able to use identify its age, a bounty is given based on said age.

 **Entourage Battle** : One of the ways to gain Nobility in the Homeland, the Entourage Battle. Teams of trainers compete against each other for the right to be Nobles. This is desired because Nobility in the Homeland is needed to become Lord/ Mayor of a City-state

 **Bio-Metal** : Harvested from Metal type Chimera's. Used in the creation of Masterclass Aura Weapons and Equipment

 **Natural Aura** : Aura living creatures, the land and plants gives off, source of Evolution Stones

 **Auralist** : Combat warrior who is able to use Aura. While Casters can uses Aura unlimited, Auralist are only able to use one kind of Aura throughout lifetime.

 **Aura Technique** : Term for Auralist ability. Beside general Techniques each 'type' of Aura has Technique that are only able to powered by single type of Aura. General Techniques while are technically the same they look different depending on type of Aura used by user.

 **15** **th** **Great Kanto Chimera Invasion** : [5 years ago before story] A pack of 6 Chimera first attacked Pallet Town not long after winter hit the region. Raiding houses and stores 20 people lost their lives before local forces were able to kill 4 of them and drive off the last 2. Days following saw attacks on towns around the Viridian, Pewter, Celadon and Celadon areas. Fear that a horde had migrate into Kanto swept the region, causing action from the entire and causing all cities and towns to upgrade their security and defenses, talk even started of postponing the next Kanto League until the end of the crisis. An investigation team from Fuchsia Gym found a Tier 7 aquatic Chimera in a sea cave beyond Route 16. An assault group of trainers from the gyms in Cerulean, Pewter, Vermilion and Fuchsia was able to deal with the horde of remote bodies while a team slipped by and attack the main body directly. The horde was destroyed at the cost of 5% of the group, while all of the team sent against the main body were lost when the cave was destroyed, notable among those lost were Gym Leader Mark Waterflower of Cerulean, Gym Leader General Alexander 'AMP' of Vermilion, Fuchsia gym trainer Kotaro; apprentice of Gym Leader Sasuke of Fuchsia. Their bodies are never recovered and all were awarded the Medal of Honorable Service for efforts against the beast.

 **Aura Guardian** : Rumored order of warriors who defend humans and Pokemon, legends say a calm mind and serene mind is needed to access a person's Aura

 **Golemcraft:** Aura discipline of animating inorganic materials, with seals or spells. Durability based on materials, maintenance and resting location may last thousands of years inactivate before they are activated. Golems are able to be 'dissected' to learn principles behind them by Casters

 **Animals** : Yes 'normal' animals do exist in this Pokémon world. The animals we eat for food are the source of food in this reality

 **Dark Quest** : Quest giving for criminal acts. Kidnapping / Murder/ Poaching. Payout is decided by giver and upon delivery of 'goods'


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Okay people this is where the A.U. really takes off. And one point, I'm going to call people their real names and not fake ones only if the reader [I.E. you] knows about the deception. But here is the next chapter and over 250 reads and 2 favorites, thanks guys. And here it is Chapter 5

Lilith smiled as she drank her tea. She and Serena were enjoying an early breakfast at the Pokémon Center's deck outside Santalune city with Serena's Fennekin and Lilly's Pokémon eating their own food next to their trainers. The breeze carried a hint of flowers and the sun shined down on the girls.

"So nice. No early Rhyhorn Race practice for me. And no Fletchling waking me up. Such a relaxing way to start the day. And this tea is wonderful Lilly!" Serena said with a smile on her face.

"It's a blend my teacher shared with me. She said she was introduced to it years ago when she met one of her best friends. The blend isn't popular outside of home no matter what he tries." Lilith said as she shook her head while inside she was grinning. Serena seemed to be a nice girl and she was starting to like her. A new friend and then there was….him. She blushed for a minute before she looked up and saw that Serena was looking at the flowers.

"My mom might like it and she might agree to promote it, might make it popular around here." Serena said as she drank her cup. _Mom has been thinking about looking for some sponsors before the next season._

"Is she famous around here?" Lilith asked, maybe she could find another feather in her cap. But she had to wait until her courier came back but it would be soon, she could feel it coming closer to Kalos ever minute, she'd get a replay by nightfall tomorrow.

"Champion Rhyhorn racer Grace Yvonne. She's been the winner of the circuit for the last five years, and is looking to make it six years in a row." Serena said proudly as Lilith looked at her friend. The way Serena acted she wasn't the child of a celebrity like those she'd met on assignments over the years, she didn't act like most of the noble children she had meet over the years back home.

"I think I might get in contact with teacher and let her pass on the decision to her friend, are you finished with your meal?" Lilith asked as she started to recall her Pokémon and picked up her bag from the table.

"Yeah, Fennekin, did you get enough?" Serena asked her Pokemon as Lilith just shook her head at her friend's actions, trainers always acted overprotective when they got their first Pokémon, it was a fact of life.

"Fennekin." Her Fire type answered. Serena got up and walked to the door to the center and bowed to the interior of the building.

"Thank you for everything Nurse Joy. Have a nice day." Serena said as Lilith passed Serena her bag and moved their dishes to the counter next to the door.

"I left our dishes by the window, thanks for the food!" Lilith called out.

"Just a little bit further and I'll finally get to see him again in person." Serena said as she walked toward the path through the trees.

"Hey lover girl, catch me if you can!" Lilith called out as she ran past her toward Santalune city. Serena blushed for a minute, maybe she shouldn't have told Lilly about traveling now to see Ash.

"Hey wait for me Lilly!" Serena laughed as she ran into the woods, Fennekin right behind her. _I'll be able to talk with him by the end of the day, after all these years to be able to see him with my own eyes without a video-com call._

Lilith ran through the city, Serena at her heels as they moved toward the Gym. They had gotten directions from a map they found. When they reached the gym Serena called to her friend.

"Lilly, wait. How do we know if we can watch the battle if their inside?" Serena asked worriedly.

"Simple, we go in and asked the first person we see in there." Lilith said as she opened the door to the gym. Running down a hallway with pictures of Bug types they came to a

 _Um, uh... There he is. It's Ash._ Serena just looked at Ash for a minute before Lilith elbowed her, causing Serena to looked at her and saw the smirk on her face, she blushed before she ran toward Ash with Lilith right behind her.

"Can I help you?" Alexis called to the girl as Lilith stopped next to Serena

"Lilly, hey!" Bonnie called out as she waved at Lilith who looked towards them.

"We were wondering if it would be okay if we watched them battle." Serena said as Lilith smirked at Clemont who looked nervous at her smirk.

"Of course, that would be just fine. Welcome." Alexis answered as she smiled at the

"Why don't you two join us over here?" Clemont said as he fought his blush down.

"Yeah. It's getting real good." Bonnie called out.

"That's so nice of you. Thanks." Serena said as she and Lilith walked over to the trio.

"Okay, Fletchling, Peck, let's go." Ash commanded.

Fletchling spun as it climbed upwards before it's beck started to glow and it shot like a missile at the Surskit it was battling.

"Quick, dodge it." Viola commanded before her Surskit dodged to the left, being missed by Fletchling who angled back up into the air turning around for another shot at the Bug Type.

"Now, use Ice Beam!" Viola called out. Surskit's top horn formed a light blue sphere and a blue beam shot from it toward the Flying type.

"Dodge it!" Ash screamed to his Pokémon, Fletchling slowed its speed and slipped past the beam.

"Awesome." Serena said as she clasped her hands.

"Yeah. Go for it, Fletchling!" Bonnie said as she threw her hands up.

"You can do it, Fletchling!" Lilith said as she smiled at the battle, a tear dropping from her right eye. _This is causing me to experience déjà vu, the passion is a lot like the boss's battles at the Celabration last year when his team fought all the Elites at once. Ash has to be the prince, he has to be!_

"Surskit, Sticky Web, go." Viola cried out

"Fletchling, Double Team." Ash commanded.

Fletchling created duplicates that covered the skies of the battlefield before Surskit shot blobs of a sticky material from its antenna that formed webs wherever it hit on either the trees or the windows. Fletchling's duplicates disappeared when they were hit but Fletchling dodged whenever a glob came near it.

"It dodged everything." Clemont called out.

"All right, attack, attack, attack, attack!" Bonnie cried out in sheer joy.

"Now, Fletchling, use Razor Wind!" Ash commanded.

Fletchling wings glowed as it shot crescent blades of wind from them at the Bug type which only had a minute to brace itself before the Move hit it, knocking it out and causing Voila to cry out in concern.

"Surskit is unable to battle. Fletchling wins." The Referee ruled out as Bonnie and Serena clapped their hands to each other.

"Did you see how totally awesome Ash battles?" Bonnie asked Serena in awe.

"Mm-hm. I sure did." Serena answered with a smile on her face.

"I thought that Sticky Web would have hit." Lilith smiled as she looked at Ash.

"Now both sides have one Pokémon left. Ash just might win this." Clemont said as he looked at Lilith before looking away.

"Surskit, you were great. You deserve a good rest." Voila said as she recalled her Pokémon as she smiled.

"Time to beat your other Pokémon and get my hands on my first Kalos Gym Badge." Ash declared as he stared across the battlefield at Voila.

"It's not going to be that easy. My Gym Leader pride's on the line. Let's do this, Vivillon." Voila declared as she threw a Pokéball and released her Vivillon which took flight and hovered over the battlefield.

"Who's that Pokémon?" Ash wondered as he brought up his Pokédex to scan the Bug type.

"Vivillon, the Scale Pokémon. Vivillon are skillfully able to find a source of water. It has been said that you'll find a spring if you follow a Vivillon." His Pokédex reported as Ash looked at his opponents Pokémon.

"All right, Fletchling, Peck." Ash cried out. Fletchling climbed and shot at the flying Bug with a glowing beck.

"See? Flying-type moves are super effective against Vivillon." Clemont said before Lilith sighed.

"Yes, but remember Pokémon trainers can teach their Pokemon moves that aren't their element type, I'm sure she has a strategy to deal with Flying types." Lilith said as Clemont looked at her as his thoughts raced around the black haired girl.

Fletchling shot toward the flying Bug Type and when it was near…

"Vivillon, use Psychic!" At the command Vivillon's eyes glowed blue and caught Fletchling in a blue energy field.

"I knew it! She trained her Vivillon to counter Flying types." Lilith breathed as Alexis looked on blankly at what her sister was doing. Ash only gritted his teeth as he saw the state his Pokémon was in.

"Since I made an ice battlefield, I want you to experience what it's all about." Voila called out before Vivillon threw Fletchling upwards before sending it crashing against the gym's floor.

"Fletchling, you okay? Can you still fly?" Ash called worriedly to his Pokémon

"Fletch! Fletch! Fletchling!" It called to its trainer as it climbed back into the air.

"All right. Use Gust!" Voila commanded. Vivillon shot a blast of wind from its wings, throwing Fletchling into one of the Sticky Webs Surskit had shot earlier.

"Fletchling!" Ash called out in worry as the observers were shocked at the turn around. _There's no way this is chance, she had to plan this! This is a control strategy!_

"It's stuck in that Sticky Web." Clemont said as his mouth dropped open in shock.

"That was her strategy, I get it now. It's was a variation of ground control." Lilith said as she looked at the battlefield, taking note of the ice and the webs.

"Lilly?" Serena asked her friend.

"Tell you later." Lilith said as she looked at Ash and her thoughts betrayed her worry. _Will you pull out a win my prince or get her in a second attempt. As Master taught me, there is no shame in defeat, only in retreat._

"Break free! You can do it, Fletchling!" Ash called out to his Flying type. Fletchling started to struggle but the web kept it stuck to the window.

"A picture-perfect opportunity. Vivillon, Solar Beam!" Voila called out.

"Vivillon!" The Bug Type cried as its wings glowed before it opened its mouth and fired a yellow beam at Fletchling, causing and explosion and sending the Flying type crashing to the ground unconscious.

"Fletchling is unable to battle. Vivillon wins, which means the victor is Viola, the Gym Leader." The Referee said as she raised an arm in Viola's direction before Viola recalled her Bug Type.

"Thanks a lot, Vivillon." Voila said to her Pokémon in its ball.

Ash ran toward his Flying Type and took it in his arms, carefully cradling it.

"Fletchling! Are you okay?" Ash asked his Pokémon worriedly as Clemont and Bonnie ran toward him, Pikachu in Clemont's arms.

"We need to get them both to the Pokémon Center." Clemont began before he handed Pikachu to Ash.

"I'm afraid that battle put them through a lot." Clemont commented as he and Bonnie looked at the hurt Pokemon in Ash's arms. Ash's eyes watered for a minute before he turned his head toward Voila.

"I know I lost, but I'll come back here stronger. When I do, I hope you'll let me have a rematch." Ash called over the battle field to the gym leader.

"I'll be looking forward to it. Come back anytime." Voila answered back.

"Let's go." Ash said with a sigh as he ran out the room with Bonnie and Clemont at his heals. Serena tried to talk but seening Ash's face she stopped. Suddenly Lilith punched her arm as she ran past her.

"Come on, I don't want to lose them!" Lilith said as she ran toward the door they came through earlier.

Serena ran after Ash, stopping to grab his backpack before running after Lilith

Clemont sat with Bonnie at a table outside the Pokémon Center, a bowl of pellets before Dedenne who happily ate them

"Oh, Dedenne, you're such a cutie pie." Bonnie said as she gazed at the Fairy type

"It must have been really hungry." Clemont laughed as he sat with his sister

"Your right Bonnie, it is cute, where'd you find it?" A voice asked causing Bonnie and her brother to see Lilith walking towards them, pull up a chair and join them at the table.

"We found this little one on the way to Santalune, Clemont is keeping it I can become a trainer. But what are you doing here Lilly, weren't you going to find where the Pokémon Contest was?" Bonnie asked as she looked at the black haired girl.

"Yeah and luck would have it it's in tomorrow in this city. That battle was something else; I guess gym leaders really know how to plan a battle strategy." Lilith said as she stretched her arms above her head that pushed her breasts out, causing Clemont to blush for a minute that caused Lilith to smile on the inside.

"Planned? What do you mean?" Bonnie asked, not having noticed her brothers blush. Before Lilith could answer she saw Serena walking toward Ash.

Ash sat under a tree as his thoughts went over the gym match in his head.

 _Viola totally beat me. Man, is she strong. Pikachu and Fletchling weren't able to show their strengths at all. If that's the way it's going to be, I can't win, no matter how many times I try. What do I do? How can I get by her strategy?_

"Excuse me. I think this is yours." Serena said as she held up Ash's backpack.

"Uh? Huh? Guess I forgot it. Hey, thanks a lot." Ash said as he took his backpack.

"It's been a while since we've last seen each other, hasn't it Ash." Serena said to Ash, causing him to jolt as he looked at her in shock. _She knows me, who do I know in Kalos with blond hair, wait blond?_ Ash thought as he looked at the girl before him.

"Serena?" He asked as he looked at her as she smiled.

"Hi, how have you been…" Serena began before Ash dropped his backpack and grabbed her in a hug that caused her to blush, not that Ash could see her face.

"Man Serena it's been years! How's Kalos been treating you and your mother?" Ash said as he pulled back just after Serena had fought her blush down.

"She's done great with the races. The defenses Vaniville Town has really are top notched. And the festivals are something to experience here in Kalos! I especially love the Story Teller's!" Serena said as Clemont, Bonnie, and Lilith walked over to them.

"You know her Ash? She was watching the battle with us since she and Lilly came in when you beat Voila's Surskit." Clemont commented as the three of them joined the two under the tree.

"Yeah, Serena and I went to the same kindergarten in Pallet Town before she and her mom moved to Kalos for the Ryhorn Races. Serena this is Bonnie and her brother Clemont, and you already know Lilly." Ash said as Serena bowed to them.

"Hi, nice to meet you." Serena said as she looked at the brother and sister.

"That battle with Voila was something else Ash." Lilith said as she looked at him, silently wondering if he would have seen what Voila had done.

"Her strategy was spotless; she had me covered since the first move." Ash said with a sigh.

"You noticed, it was when her Vivillon used Psychic right?" Lilith said as her impression of Ash went up a few notches when he shook his head.

"It was the result of its Gust Move. That was a text book control strategy." Ash commented as the others looked at him.

"You were talking about a strategy too Lilly, what do you two mean?" Bonnie asked the both

"Voila's strategy was to control the battlefield. Ice Beam to takeaway her opponent's momentum on the land. If they fly Sticky Web to bring them down to earth or create a way for Vivillon to get them stuck in one place for a takedown. Anti-Flying 101, immobilize it and take it down." Ash said as he brought out his Pokédex, navigating to Fletchling's page. Quickly he moved to the moves that this species has been document to be able to learn. _Overheat or Flame Charge, maybe Overheat to get rid of the webs, or Flame Charge to burn it off._

"You know I have two Pokémon that can help you train against her tactics. And I will have some time to kill after the Contest is over tomorrow." Lilith said as she put a finger next to her mouth.

"You mean it Lilly? You'd help me?" Ash said as the group turned to her.

"Sure, but would you guys come to my Contest tomorrow, I'm just used to people I know watching me perform, my cousin back home was even my partner for a show or two." Lilith said as she laughed as she starched her head.

"I want to see if it lives up to the hype you gave it anyway." Serena said as she put a hand on Lilith's shoulder.

"I've watched a local Performance on tv and to see a contest might be fun." Clemont said as Bonnie smiled at Lilith and nodded, showing her choice to go and see Lilith perform.

"It's almost lunch time and I saw that the Center's serving meatloaf and Lasagna, how about we get some lunch before I head over to the hall to check the rules, gotta plan out my performance." Lilith suggested as the group walked toward the Pokémon Center.

A man in a green tabard looked around as he moved stealthily through the woods around him as he moved toward his goal. Changing his mode of travel he climbed a tree before starting to jump from tree to tree as he avoided Beedrills and Pinsirs as he headed further into the forest. As he jumped through a clearing he cursed himself for his failure, but he had gained knowledge about someone in Pallet town that might give them a bit more power, not to mention what she might do for his brother and the lovely flower he himself had discovered. Stopping on one tree he looked up the sky with a smile as he rubbed his check where her blades had cut him before he healed and treated the fight seriously before the thunder maiden had shown her powers, he should have brought his team to back him up. With a sigh he continued his flight through the forest, moving ever closer to his destination.

Reaching the foothills of an unnamed mountain where the mountain chain that had Mt. Silver and Viridian Forest meet, he jumped from the trees to the ground and ran up the mountain until he reached a crevice halfway up the mountain that he passed through. In the clearing he entered two men stood in green plate armor each wielding a sword and a shield standing guard over a cave entrance. Backing them up were four golems the size of the men. They had a wooden humanoid form; its head had sex green round gems in a circle. Its right arm ended in a large round green gem, while its left hand held a tower shield, they had four legs set in a diagonal formation.

"Lord Sylvestre, where are the two Knight Stalkers you left to aid?" Sylvestre ignored the Guard and entered the cave, his glare and the feel of his aura doing more to silence the guards then his silence would. Sylvestre stalked down a passage way lit with green lights, the scowl on his face causing those who met him to step aside. From Ladies in their ball gowns to knights in their tabards, even golems step aside until he was stopped by a voice from his right.

"Didn't you leave to help 2 Stalkers chase down a bounty for our Queen? Where is said target oh Good Sylvestre?" Turning he saw a man in a black robe with short slicked black hair and black eyes leading a gargle of Ladies in gowns. The man was Jacquelin, a little toady that used his words to snipe at his rivals

"Good Jacquelin, have you come back from whatever mission you had, oh yes it was gathering flowers from the forest was it not?" Sylvestre said with good cheer in his voice and a fake looking smile on his face, his comments causing the ladies following Jacquelin to hide their mouths behind their fans and giggle, causing Jacquelin's face to redden.

"The quest I was giving was taxing beyond belief Good Knight! Not since our departure from the shores of home did such did I experience such battle as on this quest! I reached the glen the flower was said to grow to find a great Grass Chimera using the sight as a nesting ground! So I sent in the golems with me to stem the beast, all the while I moved to its shadow to slay it true! As its spit melted the golems I struck true and end its cursed life. As I fought at the battle

The flower intact from the battle, so home I recovered and both the beast's corpse and the have been tribute to our Queen, but what of you? What of the hunt and the hunters?" Jacquelin asked as he jeered at him. Sylvestre remember the battle when those who became the Chosen had left home, Jacquelin had been among the first to flee, 'protect others' he would say when pressed upon his actions than.

"The hunts prey gave a chase worth of song, and my skills at tracking were tested but I won the bout between us but alas it failed through outside intervention." Sylvestre admitted as Jacquelin stared while Sylvestre fought to keep his face blank.

"What outside intervention could hold back a Knight, are you such a craven fool that you would turn tall and run form children with knives?!" Jacquelin exploded and the ladies gasped at him for his comments. Sylvestre merely looked at his foe blankly while inside he was laughing that this fool had taken the bait he had dangled. Hearing the gasps caused Jacquelin to look around and saw that others in the passage had heard his comments and were looking at him in shock and digest.

"That matter is for the queen alone to know, and not to be shared with a jumped up toady like you. If you would seek satisfaction I will be by the training fields by dusks." He said frostily as he watched Jacquelin paled and realized with what Sylvestre had said, what he had to do to keep a silver of respect from anyone among the Team. Sylvestre didn't even wait; he turned and walked further on,

"Then let it be. The combatants will be ourselves; a Pokémon, and two golems each. And may the better man win." Sylvestre heard behind him as he moved deeper into the mountain. By not staying he gave the impression that he doubted that Jacquelin would say anything, pushing him to give the challenge, a defeat would damage his standing with the others. Since they escaped to Kanto and started to rebuild here, taking over this Team Gaia and brining in outsiders had led to a splintering effect, many people claiming positions of authority over the new comers, he himself led a faction in support of the queen, while Jacquelin seemed to led one for his own goals. What Jacquelin wanted he didn't know, but his actions rubbed him the wrong way, always going out of his way to test and push him, why he had no clue, but the why was unimportant.

After a while he reached a doorway guarded by two men wearing green plate armor with solid jade helms that hid their faces wielding halberds. These were the Templar, the elite guards of the Queen, Auralists of the 1st rank their armor and weapons were the best the Artificers could make. As he approached the doors opened automatically as he approached. As he walked through the doorway he entered a wide chamber with colorful plants lit by green crystals with harp music sounded through the room. At the end of the chamber was a circular trench with a wood bridge over it leading to a green covered island with a tall tree with hanging fruit. A bench was below the tree upon which sat a woman his age with a heart shaped face, black hair in a bun wearing a crown of flowers, pink eye shadow above blue eyes. Her lips were painted jade; she was wearing a fine dress of crimson that went to the floor hiding her legs and blue flowers were on her shoulders. She was the source of the harp music as she strong a golden harp with gems of deep jade and a light pink above the strings that glowed each time she plucked the corresponding string. When he reached the bridge he dropped to a knee as he bowed before his Queen and gave his report when the music ceased.

"My Queen I must report that I have failed in my hunt. The prey was chased before but the hunt ended in a grove of berries that a woman and a girl with an Arcanine and a Flaaffy. As per your orders all who see our Golems are to be killed or brought into the Chosen so I sought to capture the maidens. One tried to fight me blade to blade so I played while the golems with me sought our prey. The girl and her Pokémon fought with the Bug and when she destroyed the center Core of one the two Knight Stalkers she hit me with a throwing knife. I healed myself and knocked the woman and her Arcanine against a tree and prepared to bring them in when the child revealed herself as an Electric Auralist and destroyed the last remaining golem. As the woman and the Arcanine were getting up plus the girl's Flaaffy and the prey was moving to assist I so judge that the mission a failure, and escape from the battleground, as the golems were decomposing I left them with the thought that the gems might let us track the maidens if they take them as spoils." He reported to his queen as he bowed before her. He heard the sound of footsteps on the bridge and felt a hand on his shoulder.

"An Auralist who was able to destroy a golem by herself would be a threat to a Knight on her own, with others you might have been defeated. The loss to our power would have been sever had you been taken from us. But for your failure you must make it right, the day after tomorrow you shall lead a hunt and not return to us until the bounty is equal to five times those you fought." The Queen said as she moved her hand to his chin and forced him to look at her and the frown on her face.

"As you command, my queen, I will be in your presence when my labor has finished." He said as he rose to his feet and left her chamber.

"Oh, and do give Good Jacquelin a good thrashing; he needs the defeat more than you would." Her voice called to him as he made sure she didn't see the smile her words brought to his face, just as he didn't see a leafy tentacle with an eye peeking at him from below the bridge.

Leaving the guards behind him he heads upwards toward the side looking upon Mt. Sliver. Passing through the halls he passed Knights and Maidens going about their business, sometimes he stopped and exchanged small talk with those who stopped him, most wishing him well on the 'training match' the next day. Eventually he came to a blank section of the cavern next to a stalactite with a purple jewel in it. He channeled a bit of aura energy to his hand and touched the jewel before walking through a section of the wall.

The room he entered was lit by candles and glowing whitish blue crystals. The chamber was a mess with gems in pots all around the room, books strung about the chamber and furniture with miscellaneous items thrown haphazardly on them. A figure in a blue robe with a hood was bent over a table with his back to the doorway. With a sigh he walked toward the figure not surprised with the reaction he got when he was halfway to him.

"So brother what kept you? Did the hunt take too long?" The figure said as he pushed back his hood to reveal a joyful face with his silver hair.

"The prey had some help in the final confrontation that caused the hunts failure." Sylvestre admitted as he crossed his arms and looked at his brother and the mess of a room. He so need some reason to take better care of himself and his things.

"What kind of help could stop you?" His brother asked as he stared at his brother in shock.

"Two maidens fair Brother Virgil, one who fought me off while I played with her and an Aura user that looked to be just your type." He told his brother, causing him to huff and look at Sylvestre in exasperation.

"Oh, tell me brother was she someone who fights with their body or a weapon instead of staying back and blasting away at things?" Virgil said as he sighed. _He knows I like girls who can fight, but the times he tried to throw a pretty face at me._

"She threw a knife at me; it went into my shoulder after the one I was fighting scored a hit down my right eye. And that was before she broke a Golem Core with a punch and savaged me with a thunder kick." Sylvestre said as he saw Virgil start and look at him before he waved his concern away.

"Your little idea to use a component as a medium for a Fairy healing was right on the money brother. But enough about that, the queen has declared that I am to lead a hunt to bring back a bounty of 25 until those who depart may return. And I have a bout with Jacquelin, a Pokémon and two Golems so I've come for my special order." Sylvestre said as he looked to a side chamber.

"It took me a while to finish it, but I finished it just last night brother, and giving what Jacquelin used the last time he had a _training match_ it is just what you need to beat him. And about the hunt, I'm in. You idiots will need someone who can fix the golems and yourselves. I suspect all of us who choose to follow you will if we could, and no you won't talk me out of it brother." Virgil said as he meets Sylvestre's eyes in a stare. All Sylvestre could do was sigh with a smile, his friends.

"We'll have to leave some people back here to watch, Constance would be perfect to hold the fort so to speak. But if Constance stays then Nichol will as well. So you, me and a few of the others, our teams and a few golems, we should be back in a few days. I think I saw a Beedrill have that will be the perfect target for us. Let's find our friends and enjoy a nice meal and finalize the plans." Sylvestre said with a smile as he led his brother out of his chambers

Amanda walked toward her home with Albia at her side. They had stopped at the local Pokemon Center to pick up her Arcanine and Albia's new Pinsir. Thankfully Nurse Joy and Delia had believed the story that they had been attack by a swarm of Rattatas led by a trio of Raticate with some surprising moves, though when they returned to the restaurant and Delia had heard their story she walked off, muttering about trying the 'Cultured Berry' plan behind her house. Finally they reached her home and Amanda didn't know what to do next.

"So since Delia let us mess the lunch rush…." Amanda trailed off as she looked up at her home, making an effort not to look at the younger girl. Seeing the look Albia had she sighed and walked over to her door.

"Kid, you don't have to tell me your story tonight. Hell, I can't say I'm not worried about you, and if you would trust me I might be able to help you. But if you don't want to talk about it I won't force you." Amanda said softly. Albia rubbed her arms before coming to a decision.

"It was raining when they first tried to kill me." Albia whispered as Amanda turned to her, gave a small sad smile and opened the door to her home. A few minutes later Amanda had a cup of water in Albia's hand and the girl was drinking and just sitting in Amanda's kitchen, her Flaaffy was by her side, standing guard to protect its trainer and support her. Amanda had just put a dish with food down for their Pokémon and a pitcher of water a cup of coffee for herself and joined Albia at the table.

"I used to live in a small town near Blackthorn City. I lived at the town orphanage and I helped the matron take care of the kids. Beside the local school and helping out I would also train at the town dojo, when I wasn't giving Sensei broken bones I helped train the younger students. Time passed and I was looking at either studying to be a chief or joining the Dojo officially, everything was as perfect as it could have been. When the time for me to get my first Pokémon I decided to hatch an egg I found one day with my class on a nature hike and that hatched into this one." Albia paused and reached over and rubbed her Flaaffy's head as it closed its eyes in joy.

"Everything changed that day. I had gone out with a kindergarten class on a trip to the nearby mountains to a valley the town school used to teach about what plants were safe to eat. I was along to protect them if something happened, and a Chimera attack was the last thing on anyone's mind, maybe a Pokémon or an animal attack, but not a Chimera, goes to show you, the last thing you expect is what you have to prepare for. It was a lizard like centaur with oversized tusks. It had grabbed a girl and Mareep flung an Elecrto-ball at it as I ran in to give it a haymaker to its face, somehow I when I hit it face on its right side a flash of electricity accrued and one of the tusks broke, while it was stunned the teacher got us out of there with her Pokémon's Teleport. Everything was a mess for a few days after that, the whole town was worried that a horde was forming in the wilds. The mayor ordered defenses to be raised, forbid anyone from leaving the town and called for help from Blackthorn Gym; people were running around like an axe murder was around. Me, I was starting to awaken abilities, I started to _feel_ things, I started to sense _things_ about people." Albia said as she drank her water, looking at Amanda and seeing the question on her face she continued.

"With you I can sense hardness and beauty, you'll fight to protect those you care about and always try to be as close to your perfection as you can, like a diamond. After a while I started to learn to pick up other things, if they were fighters or not and emotions." Albia said as Amanda looked at a window and saw what she was wearing and the makeup on her face before she nodded, that was who she was, she didn't notice her Arcanine nod at Albia's new Pinsir when it gestured at Amanda.

"I was at my wits end for a while before I started to get a handle on it when the next surprise happened; I discovered that I could generate electricity. I'm lucky that it happened when I was alone, with the mayor closing the boarder so to speak people wanting to train their Pokémon but with the areas that it could be done at where you could train alone, so the sensei offered the dojo, a schedule was made and those of us who trained their before drew lots of when we could train, I drew the last one night and while I was punching a target I released an electric charge at a target! I started to experiment with what I could do and discovered I only did it when I put conscious effort behind it so I wasn't worried about having an accident, and I didn't _ever_." Albia said with convection as she refilled her glass. Amanda was taking in all that Albia had told her and so far nothing the kid had shared with her even hinted at a _reason_ for someone to go after her.

"It doesn't even sound like anything would cause someone to go after you, so why did they and who were they?" She asked as she drank her coffee, wondering why anyone would be after the girl.

"I still don't know who they are or how they found me but I think I know **when** they found me. About a weak after the mayor sent for help a party from Blackthorn Gym arrived and did a sweep of the mountains, the Chimera wasn't found and they recommended that they contact the league for a follow up search. I was brought in to give and account of what happened and when I was walking away I felt a spike of hatred from one of them, we get a few Chimera Hunters that came though over the years and I thought that one of them had lost family to one of those things. A week later a woman came with a squad of trainers and credentials showing she was a League sanctioned Chimera Hunter. She said that her group had been hunting a possible horde or a Chimera that was more hungry than most. She made a plan that would have teams sweep the mountain to make sure the monster was gone, and I was _honored_ to be chosen to join the team she would lead herself." Albia said with a touch of bitterness in her voice as she scowled.

"I didn't understand but when she was speaking about her plan she had a spike of hatred, maybe that was when she saw me. The team she led was made up of the people she brought with her beside me. I was just brought along because they needed someone who saw the Chimera at least that was the excuse they gave me. We went up into the mountain, after a while one of them said he had a trail so we followed it. It started to rain when we were halfway up the mountain, then we came to the valley the class was attacked in. We were halfway through the valley and that was they attacked me. I felt a spike of _smugness and hatred_ for a second and jumped to the side and that was when they ordered their Pokémon to attack Mareep, thankfully we were able to escape. The two of us ran into the valley that was when I started to dodge blast of fire and ice that **humans** threw at me, they were working with that fake Hunter." Albia said as Amanda jolted at what she heard.

"But if they work with people with abilities like you, why were they trying to kill you, it makes no sense whatsoever." Amanda commented as she shook her head.

"I never figured that out. Unfortunately for them a pack of wild Houndour and Houndoom had moved into the valley since the mayor closed the border didn't like the noise they were making, so me and Mareep were able to escape when the pack attacked, unfortunately one of the ones who attacked me at range and his Dolphan found us as we left the valley, it was hard but that was when my little girl here evolved into her next stage and used her new body to use a few moves she saw in the Dojo on that ground type as I dealt with its trainer. The noise the battle made let the bitch figure out where we were and she had our sent. She tracked us to a cliff and to make a long story short a blast throw me and Flaaffy over it and into a river. I hit something and when next I came to an old lady was taking care of me. She looked after me for a few more hours, told me I'd been found by her Haunter two days ago when it check some fish traps she had set up. Nice woman for a ghost trainer, really strong too, said her name was Agatha." Albia said; stopping as Amanda stared at her in shock.

"Blond hair, dressed in purple with a white handkerchief on it with a round blue gem on it?" Amanda said flatly as

"Yeah, do you know her?" Albia asked as Amanda just shook her head in denial.

"Albia, she was a former member of the Kanto Elite Four, one the longest serving members ever! She wasn't defeated and replaced, she retired!" Albia just stared into space at what she heard.

"So that's why she was so strong. She had given me my necklace and told me it would hide me from those who were hunting me and that it would dampen my abilities as a side effect. She said that she'll tell me more after a good meal, but they found me. they ordered her to send me out alone but she didn't. She called out her team and told me to run and not to trust the league when she saw who was outside her home. When I made it over the mountain I headed to Viridian thinking I could get help, but I saw Karen talking to people dressed like the people who attacked me there."

"Karen who? Wait, Karen of the Elite Four is involved with the people hunting you!?" Amanda cried out in total shock. Karen's public persona had been someone who fought against people who hurt Pokémon and people. She had used her position to crack down on people abusing kids and was a woman who helped most of the charity groups in both Johto and Kanto. How much of that was a lie, just what was she? _Wait a minute…_

"Karen went to the same school as **Ginny**! That gold digging bitch was proud of it! That a student she tutored made to so far!" Amanda snarled before she saw Albia sink into the chair.

"She feels like the people who shot fire at me." Albia whispered as she closed her eyes. Amanda

Absorbed what the young girl told her as her thoughts started to connect varies facts she knew.

"Do you know anything about how Delia and Ash came to Pallet Town and **Guinevere** **Oak**?" Amanda asked as she went completely still and narrowed her eyes.

"I heard gossip that she had arrived with only her son and the cloths on her back with amnesia. I heard the former owner took her in and that Mrs. Oak got her involved with the local community." Albia answered, wondering where Amanda was going.

"And what people don't talk about is that Ginny came back without her husband saying he had gone on a trip because of his job. Divers from a cruise ship found it a few months later in the northern ocean. But what do you know about Delia's headaches and lost memories? What did Agatha tell you?" Amanda said as Albia looked sheepish.

"'With Aura and Seals, anything is possible'. That's what Agatha said when she made food appear at her table. One minute it was bare, the next a full course meal was laid out. She said that she had a friend who set up the seals so when she channeled some energy it would teleport from her kitchen to her table. As we were eating she said he'd told her about seals that could affect the mind, control it or program a person to respond to certain commands. And that was when they found us." Albia said with a sigh as Amanda started to fume.

"So let me count the main points, 1. There are people in this world able to use an equivalent to Pokémon Moves. 2. There are people who hunt the first while making use of some of the first. 3. Ginny Oak might be one of them. 4. Delia's problems might be the result of a person hurting her." Amanda said as she gazed into empty space.

"I need to get back the Center, Nurse Joy only holds lunch for another hour at most and…" Albia trailed off at the look Amanda was giving her.

"You've been staying at the Center?" Amanda asked as she looked at the younger girl with deadpan eyes, Albia only nodded.

"Not anymore kid, you wouldn't be the first boarder Delia put up. Yeah, she wouldn't let me not tell her about this and she's kind of a mother hen about employees without a home, and yes, the fact that I brought you berry picking was the last huddle, you're a permanent Pallet House employee for however long you want it. And if any of those scum after you come calling me and Delia will show'em how the two of us handled Pallet's defense during the 15th Chimera Invasion." Amanda smiled as she saw Albia's eyes start to water as tears dropped from her eyes as she smiled shakily as she felt Amanda was telling the complete truth of the matter. When her Flaaffy and Pinsir moved toward her and let their emotions show from their eyes she smiled.

Lilith had a spring to her step as she walked back toward the Center. The rules for this Contest were one Pokemon for the appeals round and a different one for the combat stage. _For the first contest this might as well be a cake walk for me._ _Liepard or Misdreavus for the appeal round? Mandibuzz might be best for the battle round if I use Liepard, it would let me save Misdreavus for a future surprise like tech taught me, 'the best dagger is one they can't see coming'._

See came to the training field and saw Ash picking up his Pikachu with his Fletchling on his right shoulder. Bonnie and Clemont were sitting around a table with Bonnie filling out a paper.

"Hey Lilly, how did the contest hall look?" Ash called out when he saw her walking toward him.

"The rules are basic, outfits are expected which is no surprise given what teach told me before she sent me here. And what's with that?" She answered point toward the brother and sister.

"Some homeschooling worksheet Bonnie needs to finish before Clemont can take her to see the contest tomorrow. Serena went to call her mom and pickup her Fennekin from Nurse Joy." Ash said as they walked toward the table.

"Ahhh, I missed her meeting the Nurse Joy cousin? That was something to laugh about when a friend of mine met the sister of the Joy in my hometown's Center." Lilith said as she gave a small laugh at Ash responded with a smirk.

"Don't worry, there's still the Officers." Ash commented when they reached the table and pulled out a chair for her before finding one for him.

"So what subject is Bonnie stuck on?" Lilith asked as she looked at the paper before Bonnie

"Math, more specifically Coefficients." Clemont said as he looked at Lilith as she moved to lean next to Bonnie.

"There's a trick I learned a long time ago to solve for the unknown, want to learn it?" Lilith said as Bonnie looked at her with a hopeful look.

"Yes please!" Bonnie said as Lilith smiled at the younger girl.

"Add the result of the formula to what you take away then divide by what you multiply by the coefficient that gets you the result you need. To check if it's right do the original formula the long way." Lilith said as Clemont looked at her. Looking at his sister he saw her writing down a formula and give a smile as she wrote down an answer for her problem. _Beauty, brains and she can get Bonnie to learn, she might be a keeper after all._

"DONE! Now I can go to Lilly's contest tomorrow right big bro?" Bonnie said as she thrust the paper into Clemont's face. He looked it over and smiled at Bonnie who started to cheer.

"I'll give it to Nurse Joy and she'll send it along." Clemont promised Bonnie, causing Ash to jolt in his seat before looking at Clemont.

"Nurse Joy handles homeschooling in Kalos?" Ash asked as he raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, do they do it differently in Kanto?" Clemont answered Ash as he got out a large envelope to put the paper in.

"In Pallet we had to finish Jr. High at least before we can become trainers. When Professor Oak wasn't doing his research he was grading papers, he would send out lesson CD to parents, mom had me finish the High school level before she let me go, she's the only one who knows what I got, only told me if I passed or failed. Of course after the problems with Joseph and Victoria about their grades I can see why she did it." Ash mused as Serena came to the table.

"Talking about the Terrible Overachievers Ash?" Serena said as she sat down.

"Terrible Overachievers?" Lilith asked as she picked up the undertones of hatred in Serena's voice.

"A pair of idiots who liked to make everyone around them feel stupid and weak. I remember that not being around them was one of the few things that was good about moving to Kalos. What ever happened to them anyway?" Serena asked Ash who gained a scowl on his face as he remembered those two. He shot a quick look at Bonnie that Lilith caught before he force his face into a blank smile.

"Disappeared 4 years later, the police are still looking for them." Ash said causing Clemont to look at him over his sister's head before Ash gave a tiny nod to him.

"Why don't you give this to Nurse Joy and go see what their making for dinner Bonnie, how about after supper you and Serena help me get my costume ready for tomorrow?" Lilith said to Bonnie who smiled and dashed off with the envelope toward the Center's door.

"So what really happened giving that police are looking for them and you don't want to tell Bonnie?" Lilith said as she gave Ash a look. He just sighed and rested his head on the table.

"So you picked that up Lilly? Sure you three want to know, it ain't pretty." Ash said as he gained a solemn look. Clemont looked at Lilith and when he saw the look she sent him he frowned and nodded at Ash. When Serena heard that it wasn't pretty she gained a scowl.

"With what those two were like I'm not surprised at all." Serena spat as he crossed her arms.

"What were they like?" Clemont asked, wondering if he should ask that question at all.

"Joseph was the smartest person around; he completed high school before he was nine years old, with a particular fascination for the biologic study of Pokémon. Victoria was a girl who was so strong with her spear she could beat adults by the time she was nine. Their parents were killed in the 15th Siege, and the two of them just gravitated together, they started to feed each other egos. Off course in those days Pallet would post test results publicly and any complaints about them was put down to jealousy, and then Victoria would be particularly hard during combat training on any snitches." Serena said as she rubbed her right shoulder, remember a partially savage spar.

"So the classic adult's favorites who ruled with fear over other students. But what changed to bring in the Police?" Lilith asked as she looked as Ash, she had a feeling this was going to be bad giving the feel of Ash's Aura.

"What brought the police in originally was something that happened in the 2nd year after you moved Serena. Corpses of Pokémon and blood for more of them started to appear around Pallet. People started to whisper that a Chimera had moved into the area. But after searches couldn't find anything around the town for 6 months, people as far away as Pewter City started to worry that a roaming Chimera was around, that its mutation let it store food to digest when it was asleep. Finally after another year a corpse was found with weapon marks, a piercing blade of _some kind_." Ash said sarcastically as the others stared at him.

"You mean she was…" Serena whispered in horror.

"Killing them one on one with her spear, all the youth of Pallet knew it but it took us six months to find evidence that would convince the adults! The Police raided the house they shared off the orphan fund but didn't find them, they got tipped off somehow but they found clues to a lab Joseph hand set up in an abandoned building his father owned when he was alive. What they found there was that he had brought the corpses they never found there and did **things** to them. He even had a corpse of a Rating 1 Chimera that he was taking apart. They said he had strange devices connected to a corpse he had stitched together from parts from 3 Rattatas, a Spearow and machines of some sort. After that the adults and started to listen to us more and some of our class stayed around as a militia for the town." Ash said as he scowled as the others paled.

Lilith stared at Ash as what he didn't know was made clear to her. _The girl had to have awakened her Aura! The two of them must have been studying its applications in combat. But how did he learn of Frankenmon? I gotta get this information back to Lady Camilla, she has to worn the team in Pallet! If the police are looking then_ _ **THEY**_ _might have an insider there!_

"They never found them, did they?" Lilith said aloud as Serena shook; remember every interaction she had with Victoria, wondering if one of the spars they had could have been her last.

"No, but let's stop with this talk, Bonnie is coming back." Clemont said as he gestured toward his sister running to them.

"The center is severing pizza! Come on, if you want a hot slice let's go!" Bonnie said with a smile on her face. Looking at the others Ash got up from the table and followed after Bonnie towards the Center, for now banishing the talk they were having.

 **Golemcraft;** **Core** : The main power source of a golem and the source of its intelligence

 **Aura Casting; Component:** Use of items that by Auralists to use a low level Caster Spell

 **Chimera Hunter:** Those who have sworn to kill all Chimera, some have a psychological hatred do to tragedy's Chimera has caused them.

 **Orphan Fund** : Money given to orphans to let them take care of themselves in small towns.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Here's chapter 6 guys, hope you like it. And here's a small apology for not putting in how tall my first Chimera was, I got an idea about them that you will see in the future that got some ideas from an obscure Poke manga and a popular one. And for a gift I'm going to try to finish up a new 'first' story for Attack on Titan by Christmas Eve. So Happy Holidays and for now; on with the show!

"Have you heard what Good Jacquelin _said_ to Good Sylvestre to make this match happen?" One woman in a green Ballroom gown asked the group she was with. The rumor mill had been running wild since lunch, with each hour that passed causing the rumors to grow more outlandish. The field was full of groups that had come to see the resulting fight, some to watch; some to take support their chosen champion, some to watch the opposition and some to choose a champion.

"Didn't Good Jacquelin make a comment against Good Sylvestre's manhood?" A purple haired woman with blue eyes in a blue ballroom gown said as she hid a blush behind a small fan with her right hand and scratched the chin of an Eevee on her right shoulder with her left hand. She was one of newer inductees and like many were wondering what this battle would turn out.

"I heard Jacquelin insulted the queen herself!" A knight with red hair and black eyes said as he looked around the training field, his Teddiursa standing by his side. The field was in a valley on the opposite side of it from MT. Silver, protected from sight by the work of Casters the Team had. Battles like this had been said by his elders to be a thing that was once used to settle disputes and wagers made between two parties. This might be something very interesting; battle was where who you really are is shown. But he had to wonder. _Did either of them deserve my sword and Loyalty?_

"No, I heard it was an insult against Good Sylvestre's skill." Another knight with a flower in his hair said as he looked around at the different groups of Knights and Ladies. He personally hadn't chosen a side in the power struggle taking place, but perhaps the fight would show him who to trust his honor to. His eyes landed on the opposite end of the field, where Jacquelin was holding court with a mix of Ladies and Knights as he sat on a throne, his weapon a sword in a scabbard on the back of it, while his chosen partner, a Shiftry and a Knight Stalker by his side. A special golem stood before him, it was a nine foot tall wooden golem shaped like a knight in full plate armor with a great sword with a green gem where the blade met the left arm. Its right arm was a four clawed hand with a gem in its palm, ready to hold its prey before it was taken apart by its blade. This was his Grand Sword, a weapon that had served him well and would defeat whatever foe it faced.

"Good Jacquelin, perhaps the coward has fled the mountain rather than to face you in combat, for who would dare to fight one such as you." One of the Ladies cooed as she fluttered her eyelids at him, causing him to flash her a broad grin.

"Indeed, I always knew that one was a craven fool! For those who would face me in battle come away with more scars then they started with…" Whatever he was going to say was interrupted by a commotion at the entrance caused all eyes to turn to see Slyvestre walk out to the field, his Nuzzleaf wearing green gauntlets, a Knight Stalker behind it as they walked out of the mountain. A deep pounding was heard as a nine foot form walked into the light. It was a wooden canine with three heads with hanging fangs, each with a green crystal on their tops. Its four legs each ended with savage looking claws that were the source of the pounding. Jacquelin could only stare at this beast of a golem, _when_ had Sylvestre even dreamed of such a thing? Looking at the doorway back into the mountain he saw the figure of the knight's brother with a proud smile on his face, him then. Still, nothing could take his Sword.

Sylvestre drew his blade and his party took their positions alongside him, waiting for their opponent to come before them.

"I have come at the agreed upon time, do you stand before me as agreed or do you run from battle." His voice was hard as it called across the field, his eyes meeting Jacquelin's from where he stood. Jacquelin eyes hardened and he got off his chair and drew his sword from its scabbard on the chair. He walked forward, his Pokémon and his two Golems following. When he was ten feet away he stopped and gave the ritual response.

"I am here at the agreed upon time! I stand before my foe and am ready to fight!" He cried as he brought his sword before him. They stood there for a minute before Sylvestre shot forward while his Nuzleaf shot at the Shiftry, its gauntlets glowing as two green energy leaf-shaped blades formed in its hands and moved closer to its opponent, using its blades to slice through the razor sharp leaves the Shiftry threw from its hands. Sylvestre started to stab at Jacquelin aiming at his chest, while Jacquelin was able to move his sword barely in time to block the strikes. As the four of them dueled the canine golem ran at the Knight Stalker and dodged the green spheres it shot from its hands and jumped at it, forcing it on to its back before it tore the center gem out of the Knight Stalker's chest with its center head. While this was happening the Knight Stalker Sylvestre had brought moved backwards, shooting seed shaped green energy bullets from its head at the Grand Sword causing it to fire green spheres from its claw to intercept the seeds, that coupled with the orders Jacquelin had given it.

As Sylvestre was striking with his rapier, he was keeping an eye on the greater battle while Jacquelin was barely able to keep his eyes on his Shiftry. Sylvestre thoughts flew as he stabbed at Jacquelin _._

"Nuzleaf, Leech Seed! Hunt Cerberus Energy Ball at the Shiftry! Knight Stalker keep at range!" He bellowed his command as he darted out of range of Jacquelin's sword, giving his opponent a breather. Jacquelin let his enemies orders flow through his mind and eyed the battle and shot toward the remaining Knight Stalker, let his decision on how to counter the moves decided upon.

"Shiftry, take it and use Solar Beam! Grand Sword, charge Hyper Beam! Target the Hunt Cerberus!" He cried as he started to glow pink and accelerated at the golem. The Knight Stalker raised the arm closest to him and shot green spheres at him, he met it with his sword sliced through the first sphere and dodged the others. When he reached the golem he sliced his sword straight through its body and its center gem, destroying the golem with one glowing slice.

While this had happened Sylvestre's Nuzleaf had shot seeds from its mouth at the ground around the Shiftry. Within seconds of the seeds hitting the ground, vines burst from the earth and wrapped around the Grass type, with the vines glowing red as the energy it was using to charge the move its master ordered was sapped from it while it was immobilized, leaving it open for the trio of energy spheres shot from Hunt Cerberus's three mouths, the damage and the energy drain caused the Grass type to pass out. Jacquelin glared at his opponent, he would lose the battle but if he could take out the new golem and the Grass type, then that might save some face if he made the final bout him and Sylvestre alone. He noticed his Grand Sword's gems glowing, its Hyper Beam was fully charged Nuzleaf, he had to take it out, and if he was to strong and killed it then it would be an 'accident' on the field. Then he saw the gems on the Hunt Cerberus's gems start to lose its luster, it was open to be destroyed.

"TARGET THE CERBERUS, FULL POWER HYPER BEAM!" Jacquelin cried as he shot toward the Nuzleaf and prepared an overhead strike on the Pokémon.

"NOW! RECHARGE AND REFLECT" Sylvestre cried out as he intercepted Jacquelin before he reached his target raising his Aura for the first time in the battle and started to strike at him, causing Jacquelin to block the blows he could. He saw the final moments of the battle through the strikes, his Grand Sword stabbed forward with its sword, releasing a yellow-orange beam at the Cerberus, while at the same time the Nuzleaf had turned toward the canine golem and dispersed the energy swords and raised both hands at the golem before it shot a green beam that restored the gems luster before a white glow covered the Hunt Cerberus moments before the beam hit! The beam was reflected back at twice its size and covered his Grand Sword in an explosion that caused the golem to disappear from sight. When the explosion died down the Grand Sword was destroyed, the largest piece that remained was its sword arm.

Jacquelin looked over the field, he alone stood against Sylvestre's forces. He saw the Nuzleaf resummons its energy blades and the Hunt Cerberus take a position to form a triangle with Sylvestre and the Nuzleaf with him in the center. He looked around and decided how he would salvage something from this mistaken battle. Slowly he put his sword down.

"I surrender and take back my words and doubt I cast on you O Knight. As one who has just been in the position that you were in I see now that retreat is the better option when capture is likely to serve our Queen we **must** run." Jacquelin voice rang out over the field as the spectators cheered for the bout they had witnessed.

"May what you gained from this lesson help you in servce to our Queen Good Knight." Sylvestre said as he put his rapier back in its scabbered and walked toward his downed golem, as Jacquelin recalled his Pokémon and walked toward the mountain, causing most of the spectators to follow after him. Virgil had a smirk on his face as he passed by Jacquelin who shot a glare at him as they passed. _I'll need to_ _ **talk**_ _with_ _ **her**_ _about rebuilding my Sword and improvising it. Next time I will put your beast down!_ Jacquelin swore to himself

"So the argument was about how to serve our Queen best, no wonder it came to blows!" The woman in green said with a laugh as she entered the mountain.

"The veterans did say those two were among the most loyal of all those from home, so the reason isn't really a surprise if you think about it." The knight with a flow in his hair said as he walked with a group of fellow knights.

As the others entered the mountain no one noticed that the woman with the Eevee or the knight with a Teddiursa walk over toward Sylvestre who had reached down and was rubbing his Pokémon's head with his back toward them while his brother was channeling some of his aura through the crystal on the central head.

"What do you two want with us?" Sylvestre said when he sensed the two people coming toward him and his brother.

"Only to give congratulations to one who fought with honor and to question how your golem carried out a plan Good Knight." The knight next to her answered Sylvestre as she shot him a look at his words.

"That is the result of some of my own research; the ability to program at most three separate combat plans into the Golem with no negative. I will be presenting this as a gift to the Chosen at the next Celebration, I think the queen will like it." Virgil said as he turned and looked at the two people and their Pokémon.

"Indeed, the gift of increasing our golem's strength for all would be of great value for our Queen, I'm sure she will praise such a noble gift." The woman said as she looked at the Caster before the knight next to her interrupted.

"You fought a battle against Jacquelin, but how to serve the Queen wasn't the only reason, why did you?" The knight said as he looked eyes with Sylvestre and held them. Sylvestre merely looked him in the eyes and decide to speak plainly to the people before him.

"In truth Jacquelin has been a thorn in my side ever since our escape from the Homelands. And I merely turn and insult he gave me back at him and left him an opening to choose the fight, he took it I finished it." Sylvestre said as the knight before him looked at him.

"And it proved a perfect trial by fire for my research, a perfect ending for it." Virgil said with a laugh in his voice.

"You used tactics ability to get your foe to make a mistake and took it, I, Knight Nicolas would entrust my might to no other." Nicolas said as he and his Teddiursa both bowed before him.

"You used your ingenuity to create a way to increase our strength. If you would have me I, Roial would learn from you." Lady Roial said as she curtsied to Virgil as her Eevee jumped from her shoulder.

Virgil and Slyvestre looked at each other and Virgil gave a small laugh.

"I'm always one to pass on what I know and I think my brother could use another warrior to his cause." Virgil said as he smiled gently at the Lady.

"I would but I have a counter offer, join me on a Quest our Queen has given me to make up for my failure. If afterwards you still think I am worthy to follow then so be it." Slyvestre said as he held his hand out toward the Knight, who after a moment took it.

Bonnie had a smile on her face as she quietly breathed as she slept. Her head was on Lilith's lap as Lilith gently rubbed Bonnie's hair. After they had finished their supper Lilith had led Bonnie and Serena to their room and had spent a few hours telling Bonnie about some of her past Contests as she decided on what to wear, and told the two how her cousin singing during a duo performance had sparked a Poké-Vision idol career and shared a music video she had made, playing it on the room's TV. Bonnie had loved it and tired herself out copying the dance moves on the video before Lilith had changed her into her pajamas. Lilith moved her free hand through her long black hair and smiled down at the girl, maybe this job would be more fun then she thought it would be.

"She's something else isn't she Lilly?" Serena said softly as she walked out of their bathroom drying her hair. Lilith smiled at what Serena had said, Bonnie truly was something else. Bonnie was a child that seemed to pull at your heart and make a place in it just by being herself. Even Serena and herself were starting to be drawn in, like the Lady said, some people you just clicked with, like you've known then your whole life, but the girl was unblooded. Checking the time as she put Bonnie into one of the beds she motioned to Serena to follow her out of the room. After they left their room in the Center and closed the door Lilith couldn't keep quite any longer.

"Yeah she is, but I can't believe the people around here. I just can't stand how people here don't teach their kids how to defend themselves. Since I've landed here I've seen more people without a single weapon in a single day than I would in a **year** back home. A child her age should at least be graduating to a Blunt Iron by now! It's like they are ignoring the fact that a Chimera could spawn anywhere at any time, I mean I've heard of some attacks in Kalos, so why are they so arrogant?!" Lilith said crossly as she scowled at the possibility that Bonnie could die because she couldn't defend herself. Serena just sighed at what her friend said as they walked towards the lounge to meet up with Ash and Clemont. At dinner Clemont had been worried about how early they would need to be at the Contest hall so Lilith had volunteered to tire Bonnie out so she would sleep and meet up with Ash and Clemont later, Serena had come along to take a shower and help with Bonnie.

"I felt the same thing when mom and I moved here, but over the years I realized that there's a reason beside arrogance, at least in Kalos. That's something I learned at my first festival here, and boy is it quite the story." Serena said as she walked, finally coming to a table where Ash and Clemont were talking with their backpacks next to them, a sword in a scabbard and shield before Ash and twin two sided axes before Clemont, prompting a smile from Lilith at the weapons before Clemont. _So he knows the value of a good defense, I knew there was something about him I liked._ She thought to herself, her good mood not noticing the word she thought.

"There you two are, I was just talking to Ash about the attitude most people have about weapons here in Kalos. I'm ashamed to say I was a bit in that camp for a while until a Chimera attack when I was around Bonnie's age." Clemont admitted as the girls sat at the table.

"Yeah, the 15th Siege really changed how I felt about a few things too. But what was that reason you were talking about?" Ash said as he looked at Clemont who stippled his fingers together and sighed. Whatever reason it sounded like he wasn't going to like it at all

"Clemont, you were born here in Kalos, right? So you know the story of the Weapon, the Emperor and the War better than me right?" Serena said as she reached into her bag and brought out her own weapon. Since they were both doing mantanince she might as well as she got out a rag and started to polish her Nagata's body.

"The what, the who and the what?" Ash asked as he started to polish his shield.

"The Weapon, The Emperor and the War is the story behind a lot of Kalos's culture and history, it's a bit complicated so let me start at the most important part. Until one thousand years ago a two thousand year war was fought over who would rule the region. Why this started was because one man had united the region as its emperor three thousand years ago. During the end of his reign a Chimera horde attacked, killing many Pokémon and humans. To fight back a weapon was created that killed the Chimera, but somehow it caused the deaths of a lot of humans and Pokémon. The weapon somehow scared the region for centuries, and with the Emperor as one of the victims and he didn't have a heir the war began over who would succeed him. And until fifty years ago, there was not a single Chimera born here between the mountains and the sea." Clemont said as he explained.

"So the wars were the reason for the Treaty not being followed here, but I thought that was one of the Unifying Treaties? And born here, why would you have such a distinction?" Ash asked in wonder.

"The actual wording allows the Defense Treaty to be followed, it just doesn't enforce it. And the born thing is about a rumor I've heard about before. Couriway Town is the farthest official settlement to the west, the league has a fort a few miles farther west as the stop off point for expeditions over the mountains, a lawless region full of resources and is said to be the home of Rating 100 Chimeras." Clemont said with a sigh and gave a bitter smile when he saw Ash stare at him in total shock while Lilith just went white.

"Rating 100?! WHO the hell could let **ONE** evolve that far, let alone more than one!" Ash exploded as Lilith and Serena stared at Ash in shock. Clemont just gave a bitter smile at the reaction his words caused.

"I said rumored to be, you know how it's believed that Chimera hordes when their Alpha dies fight to lead, or eat the weaklings among it, right? A horde's Alpha was defeated around twenty years ago and they all just retreated on mass. The 'Alpha's' corpse was given a Rating of 50 and unfortunately it wasn't the last horde that attacked where that happened. According to data the league released, the last 5 recovered Alphas's each had different core DNA, thankfully we've yet to see a Flying Horde." Clemont said, not noticing the looks Ash and Lilith sent him at that revelation.

 _He has to be a gym leader like that photographer, maybe of the Tower._ Lilith thought to herself as she went over what she knew about Clemont. It would explain what he and his sister were doing around the Tower when Ash was 'expelled' from it.

 _Gym leader or related to someone high up in the local League, that's the only way he could get data about Chimera genetics._ Ash said, remembering times on his trip through Unova when Cilan got paperwork from the League when they were traveling together about a horde a Chimera Hunter destroyed they had helped.

"So the Alpha was reclassified as a Beta, and given its strength they said that its Alpha must have a Rating of 100?" Serena asked as Clemont reached into his bag and pulled out a cloth.

"Yes, and the whole region is lucky that there's never been a flying horde. The base last I heard has a few Flying types doing patrols in the area. Thankfully Lady Olympia is a powerful Oracle, and more than one Horde was prepared for and stopped. And with Snowbell City and Anistar City both have a gym so if the fort is ever breached the trainers there will be able to reinforce and stop any hordes that break through. " Clemont said as he slowly polished one of his Axes.

"Say, what grade is Bonnie in anyway, once she got the explanation she breezed through the problems." Lilith said as Clemont seemed to grow angry and gained a scowl.

"Bonnie should have graduated from the 9th grade by now if those bastards hadn't ruined public schools back for her." Clemont said with anger as Lilith started to look concerned.

"Who are you talking about?" Lilith asked as she started to worry, people tried to interfere with Bonnie's education, that was worrying.

"That's the thing, we never found out. It started two years ago, and what was worse was it was the second anniversary of mom's death too." Clemont said as he looked at the weapons on the table.

"Your mother's death, wait the Chimera attack you talked about? And how old is she, she's not ten yet so how old is she?" Ash said with a start as he looked at Clemont who jolted and looked at Ash for a minute before he adopted a sad expression on his face.

"Yeah, Mom, she died defending Bonnie from a Chimera while I was away at school. That was what inspired me to learn to wield my axes; I never wanted to lose anyone ever again. Mom said I had a habit of always moving so she stared to train me with two fighting sticks, I add the axe blades for some extra fighting power. And currently she's about eight years old." Clemont said as Lilith reached and squeezed his shoulder. He sent her a small smile.

"So you two lost your mother when Bonnie was around four years old, how'd she handle it when it happened? Does she remember it?" Lilith asked in worry, traumas when you were that old left scars people needed help to heal, she knew this _personally_.

"No thank Arceus! She had been knocked out and Mom was killed when what she was fighting got a lucky hit in. But Bonnie saw the Chimera that did it and she was a wreck for a year, but dad came through and got someone from the Anistar gym to come and have a few sessions with her. The woman was trying to become a psychiatrist and was able to help Bonnie deal with her fear, but dad wanted Bonnie to wait a few years to learn to fight with a weapon so the most she does is meditation and weight training. She wants to be able to defend herself, but I don't know how to help her." Clemont muttered as Ash adopted an inquisitive look.

"You know, I have an old training knife, I could give Bonnie a few tips on using a blade." Ash said as he leaned back, missing the look of thanks Clemont sent him.

"And giving what she was during before, she's limber so I could teach her some foot work, 'You always need to be able to move about the battlefield to stay alive', at least that's what a friend of my teacher told me once." Lilith said as she smiled at Clemont.

"Thank you, thank you both. But about Bonnie and public school, it started out innocently enough, some boys started to call her names. Bonnie is surprisingly thick skinned, so for a month dad and I never even knew about it until they tried to get physical when I was around, and luckily for them I didn't have my axes and I already had my backpack arm prototype ready and I just had it pick them up and throw them into the river. Then her teacher told us someone had stolen her tests from the teacher's office, and then something caused the mainframe to crash when she sent the tests in electronically. I had learned a bit about computer hacking by then and I designed a closed system for the school. Dissecting the software on the old mainframe I found a virus I tracked down to a hacker in Kanto called Happy Grandbull." Clemont stopped when Ash started to laugh so hard he had to rest his head on the table.

"Wait, your ElectoMkaer? Happy was cursing you for months after you attacked!" Ash gasped through his laughter, causing the others to look at him.

"You know Happy Grandbull?! Your friends?!" Clemont exclaimed in shock that Ash would know a hacker of Happy's statue.

"Yeah, Happy's a mercenary first and foremost but I count Happy as a friend. They've got their reasons for how they live their life, but someone used one of Happy's viruses to take down a school mainframe, a virus that costs at least a million Pokédollars at a minim." Ash said after he stopped laughing causing the others to look at him in shock.

"What? Who would go to such lengths over one girl?" Serena voice shook as she stared at nothing. Clemont looked concerned at the direction the conversation was going.

"The kids who picked on Bonnie were also paid, a hundred dollars every time and two hundred when they attacked us. There were three of them, they did it for twenty days, a total of sixty six thousand Pokédollars to bother my sister." Clemont said flatly as the girls shared a look with Ash.

"Was it getting worse or better since she switched to home schooling?" Ash asked as he frowned. Something about this was ring a bell, something about the money spent was reminding him of a saying an old friend of his, 'You have to spend money to make money', but how would anyone gain anything from this?

"Yes, home schooling here gives it to their local Nurse Joy and she grades and records it on a closed system so no one can hack or destroy the system. But I'm worried about her social skills might be suffering from it. This journey might be good for her to learn to trust people again." Clemont said as he started to polish his other axe. He was so caught up in it and not thinking about Bonnie's past he didn't notice the look Lilith was sending him, a smile and her eyes had a sense of understanding the need to protect his sister. Serena suddenly clapped her hands together causing the other to jolt.

"Well enough hard topics, how about a few lighter ones?" Serena said brightly as the other just looked at her and Ash just smiled at his old friend.

"Serena's right, enough doom and gloom. So what are the rules and regulations for the contests and are costumes aloud?" Ash asked as he started to put his sword and shield away. Lilith just released a sighed at the question.

"Costumes for the people are required, we're each giving a room to get ready in and thankfully I packed some of my best. The rules say I have to use two Pokémon, one the appeals round and one for the battle round, I'm still a bit concerned over which of my Pokémon to use for what round. My girls love to perform and I don't know which to use." Lilith said as she pouted her lips and closed her eyes as she leaned back, thrusting her chest out as she did so. Clemont just blushed at this and this time Serena saw it, causing her to smirk.

"Well, why don't you sleep on it, and giving the time we should hit our beds. Anybody ask Nurse Joy to wake us in the morning?" Ash said as he got up from his chair, the others following him back toward their rooms. As the others made small talk Lilith jolted when they left the lounge, she realized that she had followed him without question, only the Boss inspired that kind of loyalty, another point for him being who she thought he was, now how to get a blood or hair sample to test it, wait that could work. She walked behind her…friends and smiled, this would work.

A woman with an hourglass figure with red hair in a high ponytail in a purple business suit that was opened to reveal a hint of her cleavage and wearing a red gemstone on an chocker around her neck walked through a darkened hallway, the window that took up one wall showing the lights of a city in the dead of night. She held a report in her hands that she read as she walked through a doorway with a plate with the words 'Mai Solani: Vice-President in charge of Internal Security". She walked into a large office with a large window across one side of the office, on the other bookcases filled with tomes. As she sat behind the desk an organic blade was at held to her throat. She kept her face expressionless as she calmly put the report down and looked out over the room.

"If you're here to kill me have your Pokémon do it. If you're Shadow then let me see you." She commented dryly. The blade made no move to move closer or away from her neck, as still as ice.

"Release her Scyther. The way you caused this meeting to happen was **not** in your best interest." A voice echoed mechanically as the blade moved away from her neck. A portion of one of the bookcases rippled as a human in black pants, black boots, black shirt, black gloves and a black helmet with a black visor where the eyes would be appeared. Twin swords were over his shoulders, and a belt of Pokéballs was around his waist. After the blade was removed from her neck a Scyther walked to stand by its trainer as he moved in front of the desk.

"My apology for the threat, but I needed to contact an experienced mercenary, most speicificly I need to contact you." The redhead said commonly to the person before her.

"Mai Solani of Silph Co; why do you require a mercenary? And please give me a reason not to end you here and now." The voice question as the figure before the desk loamed and leaked a sense of menace at her. The woman behind the desk gave no sign that she was anyway affected by it, only staring impassionedly at him.

"You can drop the act. Even giving how I arranged this meeting, I know based on what I've read about you that you won't kill _possible_ employers before they tell you why they want to hire you, and if you disagree with why they want you then you warn them before you try to kill them. As for why I want your services, this should be the reason why you will do what I want you to." Mai said as she removed a folder from her desk and threw it before him, opening to show papers and pictures of men in white plate mail with a symbol of a Pokéball on a shield before a sword on them. Other pictures showed the men guarding people in lab coats as they examined killed Chimera in the wild, one picture showed Karen of the Elite Four ordering about the men. The man and the Pokémon went still and the man picked up the picture with Karen in it and the malice he released increased tremendously. Mai gave no reaction then lifting one of her eyebrows.

"I thought that would get your attention. I have no idea who they are but let me be frank with you; ever since Team Rocket tried to take over the company I cultivated a… ear so to speak to the local underworld. For the past two years these people have always been there, those who know of them stay out of their way, more so since Karen replaced Agatha but recently they've begun to…consolidate power within the city's range." Mai spoke as she turned her chair and looked out over the city. Not hearing anything from her 'guest' she continued.

"Varies small gangs of hoodlums that handled the local vices have begun to take orders from these people. Officially Silph Co has no legal standing to take any actions at all. However, the last time something like this happened in the city it was the prequel for Team Rocket's assault. While I was looking into these 'Knights' Karen commands my research usually ended with you destroying their bases and assets. I have no idea of the history or reasons for your war, nor do I care about them." Mai said as she locked her eyes on the visor.

"And what do you care about?" He countered harshly as he looked over the other papers from the folder. Turning she noticed a black collar around the Scyther's neck, not commenting on it she looked at where the man's eyes would normally be.

"I care about keeping my position in this company. I care about keeping said company productive, after the Rocket's raid on the company we spent a year investigating the loyalty of our employees and the impact that had is still rippling through this office. And if said company would be protected by employing a mercenary on a crusade then so be it. If I can stop another raid then it would be effort well spent on my part." She said resolutely as she folded her hands before her.

"But what would I get out of this besides knowing where to strike against those I have been fighting? Why shouldn't I just cut away someone who knows that I am fighting said war?" The mercenary asked as his right hand moved toward one of his swords

"Sliph Co has the confidence of the Kanto League. We are one of the few organizations allowed to research Chimera's legally and request information on them. And I do not want you to do anything that you wouldn't do on your own. Merely change your focus to Saffron City for the imminent future and let me know when you have made any progress against our…mutual foes. In exchange I will let you have copies of any of our Chimera research that you desire, anything that has to do with any of the Black List Chimera's that the Leagues shares with us. As a Chimera Hunter, I believe that that would be worth your weight in gold." She said as she got up from her chair and walked to the window, not noticing Shadow move his hand away from his sword.

"All data the League shares? Including specifications on identified mutation and core DNA and spawning theories kept from the general public? And your _invitation_ for this meeting?" Shadow inquired as he turned his head to look at her.

"ALL data about Chimeras; and my own thanks and that of the company, unofficially of course. And my personal word that I will not knowingly pass the knowledge to them." Mai answered as she looked at him in the windows reflection.

Shadow's head only looked in her direction before he recalled his Bug Type and picked up the folder. He thumbed through the pictures until he saw another picture of Karin, this time it showed her with her Vileplume killing a Chimera to the cheers of civilians. Shadow stood still, closed the folder and took it, walking toward the door, stopping just before it.

"I'll get back to you when I give them their first cut. But one thing before I leave." Shadow said as a flash of light from a vent behind the desk caused Mai to whip around to look at it as a hurt Espeon crashed through the gate to the floor before a Rattata cloaked in flame shot out of the vent, dispelling the flames as it hit the desk and jumped onto Shadow's right shoulder.

"Next time you have a guard watching you, make sure your guard hides better." The words caused her to look towards the door, Shadow and his Rattata had disappeared. Of course he would have had another Pokémon out when he met her, it seemed he had truly earned his reputation in Kanto's underworld.

Mai walked over to her Espeon and crouched down before it and started to pet it as it looked at her with a pained expression. She merely smiled at her Pokémon, having it guard her meetings from the ductwork was a way to always have an ace up her sleeve, it seemed this time someone had out beaten her hand. Better to be beaten by someone who wasn't after her life then one who was, and sometime defeats help you to grow and gain strength, next time she would have a stronger hand to play.

"You better be as good as he said you are Shadow. Come on girl, let's go home and I'll drop you at the Pokémon Center in the morning." Mai said as she picked up her Pokémon and walked out of the room. All she could hope is that the new card in play ended up against her opponent, and that he didn't discover where exactly her personal loyalty was.

Shadow stood on top of a building looking at the Silph Co. building. He was of two minds about what to do next. _Ever since I saw that branding on that monstrosity all those years ago when Mark led us against that thing I knew I would have trouble sooner or later when I went underground. But I never thought of the chance for one of them to have infiltrated the league itself, let alone the Elite? She's not being honest in why she wants to set me against them here in Saffron, and that necklace she had on had the light of Aura, was it like my suite, a way to protect against Psychics reading your mind? How would a modern executive even get something like that, does she know what it does, was it an inheritance, dare I take the chance that she doesn't and this isn't a trap? I've spent years fighting alone; having any help would be good._ He would have continued brooding but he felt something rubbed his face through his helmet.

He turned his face toward his Rattata and scratched it under its chin; this little guy had help him out of a lot of jams over the years even before he had become Shadow.

"I'm all right partner, just thinking about our next move. With Karin as one of our enemies we need to be extra careful; she has the respect of the people and the authority of the League itself. Maybe we should see just what their after here in Saffron City." Shadow mused as he looked upwards. _If they are planning an operation here, what would be the target? Although Karin's alliance does answer some questions, like how the scum I've given to the Jennys always die in captivity or 'escape'. Or how they always have patrol schedules to let them slip by the League's security. Karin must either get them from them or give it to them, I have to account for that for the future, I need information, that place in proximity to Lavender Town should have what I need._

"We're flying partner, want to ride the wind with me?" He questioned and saw his Rattata's smile full its face before he released a large bat-like Pokémon.

"Noivern lets fly! Our destination is Lavender Town!" Shadow called out as he got on his Dragon with his Rattata still on his shoulder. Noivern gave a cry as it jumped from the building its wings and training swiftly taking it and its trainer out of Saffron City.

A boy of about fifteen walked through the darkened hallways of a mansion, priceless artwork and statues along the hallway showed the wealth the person who owned the building had. He had brown hair in a loose style, black colored eyes and was wearing a black vest over a white shirt and black pants. By his side walked a strong looking black furred Absol. He and his partner had just comeback from their customary after dinner workout and were heading to the kitchens for a few sandwiches. Tomorrow he had his lessons on business, his sensei was coming to help him with his staff work and test him on the last kata he was taught, the life of a noble just wasn't what people thought it was. So many expectations to meet drove some people to either break or find _ways_ to deal with the stress involved, to become what their families wanted some killed their dreams but unfortunately few of those born into this life ever mustered up the courage to escape it and their family's expectations, but _she_ had found it.

He walked toward a door to a sitting room and saw it was open partway, the light from it stabbing into the hall and heard voices from within, he signed his Absol to wait where it was as he moved closer and listened to an argument between his mother and uncle.

"…so you lost them?!" His mother's strict voice demanded as he heard a fist hit a solid surface in the room. He loved her but she was a person who prided the rules and obligations above all else, woe to any of their staff for not living up to her impossible standards.

"Cool it sis, you were the one who wanted us to back off on hacking the Center after they got the brat we hired to do it. And the gym's entered lockdown, no one in or out and we don't know where she is." His uncle was the person the family had to look after their properties around the region but he thought that his job was actually quite darker then he let on. _So mom and my dear uncle are talking about someone connected to a gym. Is this that project they've been working on for the last five years?_

"Damn it brother! You know the only way we would get her is if she has a break down and the judge we paid off rules in our favor in a custody hearing! If she can become a junior Trainer then that would be closed to us!" His mother's words caused him to start to really worry about this conversation. _A kid can become a junior trainer if they graduate from ninth grade and are under ten years of age. So a kid they need custody of, could they have found Auntie's child?_

"The only good thing about this is that our brat of a sister died leaving the girl! And that we found them while at least one of them is still young enough to mold." His mother's voice said frostily as he started to feel light headed, his thoughts running wild. _His aunt was dead, and she had children, a daughter?! And they wanted her for some reason?!_

"The older brat has to be the wrong gender, but enough about our _issue_. How about you give me a report on our shipping? Did **they** hit our cargo ship again?" His mother asked as he heard someone sit in a chair. _What cargo ship_? _The family business is in construction._

"Well about that, they did. It was like the other raids. They put the crew asleep, put the crew in lifeboats and sunk the ship. When I got the report about it I sent one of our… faster assets. They dropped a diver into the wreck and the cargo was already gone, no idea where it ended up." His uncle's voice had a growl to it that his voice only had when he was practically mad. He gritted his teeth, this was looking bad. _What assets and cargo is he talking about, what had they gotten the family involved with?_

"We have to get a handle on this sometime soon. The _special_ clients are starting to talk about our reliability. And the money to fund those _journeys_ is starting to be threatened." His mother's voice sounded exasperated. Time to move, he signaled to his Pokémon and they moved silently through the halls, his uncles voice echoing after them as they left the area.

"We put a bounty at all the Hubs, nothing. We don't know where they go with the cargo, where they get their information from and what they are. Besides the methods I would think they have to be multiple parties involved. The cost to increase our guards or more Pokémon would unfortunately offset any profits the cargo would generate, not talking about the secrecy issue. However we were contacted by a curious individual who represents a third option…."

Later he sat in one of the sitting rooms near the kitchen with a plate with the remains of a few sandwiches on it on a table next to his chair as he went over what he had overheard going over it in his mind his thoughts racing. _If mother and uncle's project was to get custody of one of my cousins and are doing something illegal and trying whatever this cargo is I need to look into it_. _I could take a look around the garages, tell a few lies about looking for my own transportation, if the cargo was illegal then the port they used couldn't be one of the main ones._ _So that leaves an off-road vehicle to transport it, a hidden port or the shoreline itself. But should I do this, I might end up destroying everything my family built over the years. Am I brave enough to do this?_

He sighed and put the plate down and let his partner happily eat the remains as he got up and walked around the room. He stopped before a panting of four people. A man with black hair in grey formal clothing sat in a chair with his right hand holding the left hand of a woman in a red dress with platinum hair with an a smile on her face. Three teenagers were behind them, two girls and a boy. The boy had a lopsided smile on his face with a black jacket over a red shirt and blue pants. The girls were twins with the only difference being their hair and eyes, the one on the right had blond hair and a glare and the left had black hair with a smile that lit up her face, both in red dresses that went to the floor. He hardened his eyes and put his hand on the blond haired twin, to chase her dream his aunt had left the family, she had shown bravery and he would to, he would find the truth and decide where to go from there.

"Master Clyde? Your mother requested that you get to bed at a reasonable hour tonight." A voice called to him from the doorway. Time to let sleep claim him, he could get a handle on this issue tomorrow. And maybe he could go talk to his grandmother about his aunt.

The mountain side had an assortment of animals and Pokémon along the shrubbery, with a troupe of Mankeys and four Primeape were scrounging the grounds for their breakfast, while a herd of Nidorina, Nidorino and Nidoran munched on bushes while a flock of birds were eying a river going down the mountain looking for fish while a Spearow was eying them hungrily for its breakfast as the sun rose over the horizon. One of the flock noticed the shadow the Flying type was casting on the river and screeched, causing the flock to split apart and the Spearow to fly after one them. It noticed its purser and flew higher, hoping to lose its hunter like when the Spearow hit and tor off part of one of its wings, sending the bird crashing into a pit on the mountain. Flying into the void after its meal, the Spearow entered a chamber of glowing crystals and openings deeper into the mountain. It paid no notice to its surroundings and focused on the bird it had hunted, it was trying to move on a raised glowing crystal in the center of the chamber. Deciding to finish it flew at the bird and opened its mouth before shooting a thick purple liquid from its opened beck at its prey, hitting the birds head, melting it and part of the crystal it was bleeding on. As the Spearow landed on the crystal to eat its meal, it didn't register that the crystal had lost its glow when the attack had melted part of it. It was so engrossed in its meal that it didn't notice a large stinger suddenly thrust at it, spearing it in the side and destroying its heart.

The creature that had killed the Flying-Type had an insect with a carapace covered oval body with four legs on the sides of its body with two wing coverings on its back and two stingers on the front segment lower half, with two multifaceted eyes on the upper part of the segment and a mouth with no lips on the front part of the segment below a long sharp looking horn. It brought it's kill to its mouth and ate the Spearow and turned its stingers toward other glowing crystals shot multiple small white needles, destroying the rest of the glowing crystals. More creatures like it along with others without horns came as the crystals were destroyed. The creature which killed the Spearow raised a stinger and pointed upwards, singling a surge of the creatures flooding out of the chamber.

A Rattata horde led by a Raticate had been forced out of their former territory were racing over the mountain, hoping to find a new home when a beam of energy hit the center of the horde, causing an explosion! The Raticate stood back to its feet, it was missing a few whiskers and had one eye closed and looked over it minions, most of them had been hurt and some were seriously hurt. Hearing a noise behind it turned and saw five of the creatures from the cave without horns with one of those with horns in front of them. The horde started to growl as the creatures before started to move toward them. The Raticate gave a screech as lightning covered its body and it shot at the creatures, the horde following their leader and attacked the creatures together, the Rattata's fangs glowing as they ran at them.

A group of creatures like the horned ones without the stingers with two carapace covered hands in their place pulled silk bundles towards the hole, a large scaly tail was poking out of one on the larger bundles. They passed a group of creatures without stingers and two large closed yellow flowers in their place with a large yellow flower on its back. A horned creature led them toward a cliff face with a town in the distance. As the creatures with flowers stood on the cliff face the flowers on their sides opened wide and the flower on their back released a golden pollen that caught a wind and blew towards the city below.

The sun shined down upon the river a round blue insect with four legs moved along the surface of the water, not noting a shadow in the trees along the river before a spiked tail shot out and speared it through; bring its dying body towards its body. The corpse had just stopped twitching when the insect Chimera with a broken mandible spat a glowing white liquid on the body and ate the Water type in three bites, feeling the choices of what to take, it choose three and devoured the rest as fuel. The burning changes began after that, a sack forming in its front segment line with glands to heat the water it held to channel through veins lined with glands to heat the water leading to openings formed at the centers of its pincers, its legs gaining the blue ovals oil glands and finally a horn grew on top of its head which soon start to release a sweet scent.

The primitive mind of the Chimera felt the changes finished and still it need more strength, more power to get revenge on those who had maimed it, strength to rule. But it could range farther now, hunt for more power and gain it. Move out of the tree line it picked up speed, not breaking stride when it reached the water its legs hit the water surface and stayed above the liquid and moved over it. It dashed across the water, its new mutation letting it move over the water as easily as earth. It had felt power across the river and sought with its new abilities it could find it.

When it reached a small island in the middle of the river it stopped and drank from the stream to fuel its new sack and then it moved stealthily through the trees on it until it was able to look across the remaining water while still being hidden by the foliage and let its eyes see the far shore. Its eyes saw many shapes it hadn't seen drinking from the river and its hunger intensified when it saw a particular tasty looking blue quadruped with a tail tipped with a four-pointed star leading a pack of smaller blue quadrupeds. There was something about the larger one that sang to the Chimera, it had something it needed. It suddenly realized that the large blue beast was looking in its direction, had it sensed it, no there was no way that was possible. Suddenly the blue beast howled and ran into the trees away from the river, the creatures drinking bolting every way and the others in its pack following it! It stared at where the blue creatures had been for a second before it ran out of the trees and over the water; it wouldn't let its prey escape.

Once it reached the opposite shore it ran into the trees, looking for any sign of its prey. Finally it saw a trampled down grass path and ran along it, following the trail. It ran through the woods, finally looking through the trees to see a mountain in the distance it ran toward it, the path leading toward it. After a few minutes it realized it had lost the pack, it would find them again and now it needed to feed so it walked toward a tree and cut it down with its claws and started to eat it. After a few minutes of feeding it heard roars and moved to find the source of the noise. After a while it found the source of the noise, a clearing it stopped short of entering, staying in the shadows of the trees to look at the source of the noise.

The clearing before it was a battlefield with the attackers being six black and grey furred quadrupeds three feet high being commanded by one of their own kind who was three times their height behind them near the tree line. Their target was another Chimera, also a quadruped. It was an equal to the Bug Chimera's 6 foot height; it had white fur on a lean lupine body with a horn between two eyes over a muzzle. The most shocking thing about it was the mane of fire around its neck and on its tail. Its right back leg looked broken, one of the creatures trying to get at it jumped at it with its mouth open but it shot a blast of flames from its muzzle at it attacker, sending it flying back against the mountain. The Bug Chimera slowly moved to just behind the larger specimen and started to heat its water sack, it shot two streams of boiling water at two of the attackers and sent opened its mouth and shot sticky balls at the larger one that formed webs connecting it to the ground, holding it in place as the other four split their attention, two of them running at where it had attack from and the other two attacking the Fire Chimera.

When the two running at it were within striking range they jumped at it and the Bug shot its two pincers and grabbed them, firing the last of its water point blank into their necks, boiling holes straight through to the other side of their necks, breaking their spines. . While it had dealt with those attacking it the Fire Horn had lunged at one of its attackers speared one it through its eye to its brain, killing it before biting down on the neck of the other one, shaking it until its spine broke. The larger one finally shook off the webs and saw the state of its forces and barked a command that sent the two the bug had first attack running, the larger one crying out before a wave of sand blocked the two Chimera's sight, when the sand was gone the black beast was gone. Turning toward the Fire Chimera its mind went over the battle, the beasts were able to wound and almost kill the Fire because they fought together, perhaps that was the power it was after. Somehow it knew how to tell the Fire it wanted it to join it.

The Fire Chimera looked at the Bug, wondering what it would do next. The bug looked at the beast before it used one of its pincers to throw one of the corpses at the beast before it started to eat the remaining corpse. The Flame Horn stared at the Bug before it spat a white glowing liquid onto the throne corpse and started to eat it, feeling all its legs gain muscles as its broken leg gain began to heal and felt its fangs start to change. After it finished with its meal it picked up one of the others and carried it to the Bug Chimera and dropped it before the Chimera and bowed its head before its new leader. The Bug Chimera looked at what the Fire Chimera was doing and took a bite of the offering, and realized something was changing about it, that it could feel the burn within its _head_ as it ate the corpse.

As the Chimeras fed on the corpses of the defeated pack, they were watched by two humans and three Pokémon. The first person had a vulpine like black mask with what looked like red fur covering his head, a black cape that hid his arms. He was with a man with dark skin in a red armor on his chest, red gauntlets with red gems on the back of the hands on his arms, red shorts with an armored belt and red reinforced looking. The Pokémon with them were a female and male Pyroar with saddles on them with black gems on them and a Zoroark that was wearing black gauntlets on its arms and a crown with a black gem on its head.

"So what was the big problem the seers foresaw to the city my friend, the pack, their target or the new Chimera?" The red armored warrior asked as he crossed his arms and smirked, a hunger to fight starting to shine in his eyes.

The cloaked figure revealed he was wearing black gauntlets with multicolored stones around the wrists as he put a hand on the earth and the eyes of the mask released a blue glow. After a few second the glow died down and the figure seemed to sag with relief.

"The signs are clear, the danger has passed my brother, come let us go home, we should make good progress before nightfall if we leave now and escape the notice of others thanks to my friend." The voice from the mask was masculine and the figure stood up and walked to the female Pyroar as the Zoroark fell in behind him, the black gems all the Pokémon had on starting to glow.

"Shouldn't we deal with the Chimeras? The Bug type looks particularly strong and acted smart, it might become a threat in the future." The red warrior questioned as he walked toward the male Pyroar as he looked at his companion.

"You remember the orders the chief gave us, find what the sign pointed to, then return and report. If it becomes a problem the City Guard will deal with it if it happens. And you know what the chief would say if he was here." The masked male answered as he climbed into the saddle.

With a sigh and a shake of his head the red armored warrior got on the male Pyroar, which started to run away from the field of carnage, the female following as the Zoroark jumped into the trees, shooting after the riders. While for now they would not seek battle, not knowing about the threat to the region that their actions would let bloom.

Unseen by the riders leaving the forest a 9 foot tall humanoid form stood farther up the mountain in front of a cave, it had a hunched over reptilian looking body with bulging muscles, red stone like skin and three eye above a muzzle full of metallic fangs and metallic claws on its three fingered hands and feet. It glared down at the two Chimera feeding on the pack, the flame horn and the others should have been its food, and the interloper hadn't even killed the horned one. It had killed the large grey one's spawn and left them for the flame one to feed on and then the pack had followed the trail it made to see the flame one eat the corpses and attack in anger as all weaklings would do, it was just their weakness made bare. And finally it would have eaten the lower fire chimera and gained its strength for its own, hurt as it was if it survived it would have been easy prey.

It needed to deal with this but how to kill the bug, it looked strong and all it had were those scum it thought as it looked back into the cave. At the back of the cave were 11 six foot tall humanoid creatures fighting over which of them would eat the remains of a grey corpse. They had grey skin, three eyes with a line over each above a muzzle. Their bodies had lines that ran from the back of their hands to their shoulders. Their feet had four claws and a heel spike that let them grip the floor Finally one of them with a scar on the right side of its face tore off a grey leg from the corpse and brought it to 4 weaker looking ones huddled together in the very back of the cave in the darkness, but the hunched one sight could see it feed the others. That one of its spawn was a disappointment, feeding the weak, protecting them instead of eating them, when it was born it devoured all twenty of its siblings and its mother. A commotion at the corpse caused it to see one of them with its middle eye dead use another of its siblings as a club to beat off the others. That one was much better than the scared one it was both strong and _merciless_ , a proper member of its brood. The weaklings were meant to be eaten by the strong, what would it gain from protecting, and what's worst that one would probably… The hunched chimera went still and looked back down at the two Chimera with a sinister looking grin; perhaps it finally had a use for them.

 **Blunt Iron** : A blunt copy of a weapon, made for training purposes and sparing matches

 **Unifying Treaties** : Documents that united the Regions of the world in a loose alliance and peace, creating international origination to keep said peace.

 **Chimera: Horde: Organization:** Hordes of Chimera are led by a specimen that has shown that it is more powerful than the others in the horde, called the Alpha, with its lieutenants if horde is sizeable past a certain number called Betas. In the instances where the Hordes master is immobile, the leader of the hunting party is called the Beta while its lieutenants are Gamma

 **Chimera: Core DNA** : The original DNA of a Chimera, able to identify original Type

 **Psychic; Oracle** : One who is able to divine the future; Leagues train them to worn of disasters that might affect them

 **Junior Trainer** : Required to graduate the ninth grade and being under ten years of age, children are able to own and carry up to 3 Pokémon

 **Hub** : Locations where Dark Quests are posted and information is traded

 **Black List Chimera** : Chimera that have gained an infamous reputation, bounty's are much higher than general Chimera, the head must be shown to official for bounty to be paid


	7. Chapter 7

So here's chapter 7 and I have an announcement, I'm cross-posting over at under the same name as here. That site was where I found some great authors and the guidelines and review system are a bit looser so check it, drop some reviews and check out my profile over there for updates on story progress and leave some reviews to let me know what you think about it. And I'm sorry this chapter is a bit late, RL hit me a bit hard lately and my muse was dead for a while, so sorry and enjoy and I'll try to get a new chapter as soon as possible

"Come on guys!" Bonnie called as she ran head of the group as the party walked toward the Contest Hall. They had all been woken early and had met a mass of people who were going to the contest either to compete or watch, so after a breakfast they were now walking towards the contest hall. Lilith was smiling as she walked with them, she had released her Skorupi with orders to go to the boys shower and cocoon any black hair it could find and wait for her to get back in the vents. With some luck she would have a possible second hand DNA source to send home.

"So have you decided on what Pokémon to use yet?" Clemont asked as they walked.

"I've narrowed it down to two of them. I think I'll decide when I see what the competition…" Lilith trailed off as she saw the grounds in front of the Hall. An assortment of both male and female trainers were milling about, some of them with their Pokémon out and from what she was able to see the type that was most eminent were Fairy and Bug. Seeing what she was up against she mentally made her choices and a sinister smirk grew on her face as she before she felt a hand on her shoulder, turning to look at Serena who had a frown on her face.

"Are you okay Lilly? You're looking weird." Serena said as Ash and Clemont turned and looked at her. She quickly brought her face back under control and sent a small smile at her friends.

"I'm fine, I just made my choice on who to use in what round and I think I might have a good chance to win this thing." Lilith said as she gave a small laugh. Ash looked like he was going to say something but a sound to their left caught their attention.

"Watch Out!" A voice called before someone crashed into Clemont. Clemont opened her eyes and meet aqua green eyes under green colored hair on a heart shaped girl's face close to his own. Clemont started to blush when he felt their legs were interwoven together and noticed the girl's long hair was on his face.

"Are you okay? Here let me help you up." Ash said as he reached down and helped the girl to her feet. Now that Clemont could see her better the girl was around their age and was wearing a blue shirt and black tights with a helmet on her head. She had on rollerblades and giving the hill behind her the cause of their crash was obvious. She had a bit of blue lip gloss and looked like someone who would be at home in the wilds, but Lilith saw a hint of class in the way she held herself. A backpack and a small purse on the ground completed her outfit and a yarn showed she had rushed to get ready and leave where she had bunked.

"Sorry about that, you guys walked through my landing spot and I was in midair before I saw you. The name's Nimue Mistborn, and you can call me Nim." She said as she leaned against a railing alongside the hill and looked at the people before her, looking right at Clemont, not noticing the look Lilith sent her. Lilith threw her hand out and shot a smile at her when she turned and looked at her.

"Hi I'm Lilly! Are you competing or watching the Contest?" Lilith asked as she sent a forced smile at Nimue.

"Competing, so I guess I might be fighting you in the finals. And the rest of you are?" Nimue said as she shook Lilith's hand and saw Bonnie run to stand next to her brother.

"I'm Clemont, this is my sister Bonnie and our friends Ash and Serena." Clemont said as Serena bowed to her and Ash gave a wave. While the other started to make small talk with Nimue Lilith looked at the teen before her, something about her had her on edge, some _feeling_ she last had back Home when... Lilith's eye's widened when she remembered _when_ she had felt this last, was it possible, was _she_? Something about her stare got through to Nimue and she rolled past them toward the doors.

"Well it was nice talking with you all; see you on the floor and good luck with the others!" She called as she rolled towards the doors.

"She seems, nice I guess. Think her performance will be mobile?" Ash asked as he looked at where Nimue had been.

"No she a bit of class about her, I'm thinking the opposite of what we expect. She's probably going to be trouble if I make it through the appeal round." Lilith said as she went over what her team could do. A descision made she turned to Serena and Bonnie and smiled at them.

"So you two want to help me get ready?" Lilith asked as she smiled as she looked at them. Bonnie perked up and Serena returned her smile.

"So while the two of us help Lilly what will you two do?" Serena asked as she looked at Ash and Clemont.

"Me and Clemont will get some seats near the top or front, I'll leave my bag and go get you two after you're done helping her. Good luck Lilly." Ash answered as he and Clemont walked toward the entrance for the audience.

"Be good Bonnie." Clemont told Bonnie as he and Ash left the girls. Unseen by all a figure had heard the crash and had gave a start when he recognized Ash among the group, slipping into shadows cast by the buildings so he wouldn't notice him.

The figure walked into the light, revealing a man with purple hair in green cloths with a green hat looked at Ash and his group as they walked into the building. He had seen Ash and Clemont walk into the building and Bonnie and Serena walk after and a smile grew on his face.

"Well, well, well. Ash Ketchum's in Kalos! And either May May isn't with him or she's inside already. One thing's for sure, it will be quite a championship this year." He said as he strolled towards registration with a spring in his steps. Whatever he did on the circuit, he'll probably stay around for the championship.

Lilith smiled as she walked toward the check in station, she was traveling with the prince…no with Ash and some new friends and she was back on the Contest Circuit, this was one of her better missions ever. Now all she needed to register and she was golden. Bonnie and Serena walked behind her each with smile on their faces.

"Hello, here to register for the contests?" A woman with long black hair in a green tube top and skirt asked as she smiled with green lips.

"Yes, I'm Lil lly. Lilly." Lilth said as she handed over her Pokédex. She had changed her name and deleted the data about her home, putting down her home as a small island that Chimera destroyed a few months after she had 'left on her journey' three years ago. Those from the island had been relocated to the homeland so it and other locations like it were used for cover on assignments out of their lands, so it would stand up if people looked into it.

"Well you're registered. Here's a Ribbon Case you'll need, one side is for the Regular Ribbons, the other is for the Grand Ribbons. Your Pokédex will open the door to changing room 56, you have half an hour until the contest begins, and you need to select which of your Pokémon to use for each round, as of the rules for this Contests you can't use the same Pokémon in both rounds." The green woman said as she handed over a Ribbons case and Lilith's Pokédex. Lilith smiled as Bonnie grabbed her free hand and walked into the hall, this was going to be fun.

Brock smiled as sipped a cup of coffee as he walked through Viridian City, he had a good talk with SandyLady last night, the weather was sunny for the next few days and today his favorite coffee shop had had a sale as part of their tenth anniversary celebration, today was looking to be a good one.

"Morning Doc, need a ride to the Center?" A voice caused him to turn and see Officer Jenny on her motorcycle giving him a small smile.

"Morning Officer Jenny, no, I think a walk is just what I need today, what about you having a good morning so far." Brock said as gave her a wave with his free hand.

"Top ten on the radio, a good breakfast and the weather channel said a tornado is due to hit the region in the next few days, so same old same old. I'm heading over to the airport to talk to them about when they'll have to shut down." Officer Jenny said as she shrugged.

"Expecting any trouble with that?" Brock questioned as he had a troubled look on his face.

"No more than usual when this happens. The egg heads at the league said they have a project to migrate the force of the wind, but you know how they are with their last _project_ in Pewter City a few months back." Jenny said with a sight, drawing a wince from Brock.

"You mean when they tried to build a dam and caused a landslide that almost covered the city and caused the Pokémon in the mountains to attack the city because their food sources had been destroyed?" Brock questioned with dread. Sometime the League's projects worked and sometimes they ended badly for everyone around the site.

"Yeah so I better get to the Airport and check in on the Pallet office about a report I got about a Rattata horde that attacked two trainers, talk to you latter Doctor." Jenny said before she drove off. Brock gave a small sighed and walked off with a smile on his face. Talking with Jenny was one of the good things about living in this city, that and the Poker games she, his teacher and Nurse Joy got up to every weekend.

As he walked toward the Pokémon Center he stopped when he saw an ambulance speed past him around the corner leading to the Pokémon Center that filled him with a sense of dread. He broke into a run, dashing around the corner, seeing the Center's parking lot already half full of cars and people running toward the building holding their Pokémon, Brock stared at the scene before him to drop his cup and run into the Center.

Brock entered the building at a run and saw a scene of pure chaos! Doctors and nurses ran all over, with humans looking worried of all ages around the front chamber, his fellow students mixed around checking on the Pokémon. Brock hadn't seen such a scene of pure chaos in all his life. The only think this resembled were plague outbreaks he had studied in the past. Was this a new plague, a viral outbreak or was it a reaction to a fungal spread?

"Brock, thank Arceus you finally made it! I need you to handle any patients without a doctor or nurse looking over them! Once you've got a handle on what's wrong with the patient send them to a room with an empty bed and move on to the next." His teacher's voice called as Brock brought himself back to the present. _I can think about this later, I have to help the Pokémon first._ Brock thought to himself as he ran toward a Nidorina and her trainer. The Nidorina was lying down on a cart and her trainer was stoking her and whispering to her, she looked at Brock with relief that almost caused him to wince.

"When did she start to show symptoms, does she have a regular apatite when she woke up this morning?" Brock question as he started to examine the Nidorina before him.

"She was a bit sluggish this morning and she just passed out while she was eating breakfast, so she's been like this for about an hour, I came over as soon as I could recall her to her ball." The trainer told him as Brock shined a light into the Poison Pin Pokémon's eye. _Not responsive to stimulation, sleepy and the moaning shows she's feeling some pain. No broken bones and no blood from the mouth, so maybe no internal bleeding._ Brock thought as he felt along the Pokémon's limbs, whatever was wrong with the Pokémon, he would try to fix it.

Nicolas walked out of the mountain with his Teddiursa at his side. The hunt was due to depart soon and his lord, no Good Sylvestre. This hunt was to let him see the person Sylvestre was and decide if he want to follow him, which had already gotten him major points for his honor and beliefs. Still the hunt would be a good chance to learn and make some allies, and talk away from the mountain. Some of the new members, he needed to talk with someone who had been here longer as a Knight, maybe they would know anything about where they came from.

"You must be the kid the boss said was coming with us." A gruff voice said to his right. The person walking towards him was taller than him, black hair in a topknot wearing a green cloak over a green shirt and pants.

"The names Dante, the tracker for this little jaunt." He said and offered his right hand. Nicolas reached for before a giant purple hand grabbed his hand and shook it vigorously.

"And this little prankster is my partner, Haunter." He continued as the Ghost type revealed itself as it laughed with a smile on its face.

"Pleased to meet you both. This is my partner, Teddiursa." Nicolas said as he recovered and his Teddiursa stared into the Ghost Type's eyes, the Haunter just smirked at the Teddiursa before the Normal Type held up a paw and let dark energy flow over its claws.

"Play nice you two, now come on, the rest of the party should be ready. And you need this." Dante said as he passed Nicolas a glove with a blue gem on the back. Nicolas just took the glove and put it on his left hand.

"So we will be using golems on the hunt?" Nicolas asked as they moved down the mountain toward the forest.

"We'll be riding on Lupine Chargers, there the best thing to ride on to hunt in the forest. And there they are." Dante said as he pointed forward, causing Nicolas to follow his hand.

At the base of the mountain was Good Sylvestre standing with thirteen Squires readying four Lupine Chargers, wooden wolf like golems with jade gems for eyes and claws and teeth made out of emerald colored crystals. It had a wooden saddle on its back with a blue gemstone just before the saddle near the neck of the neck of the golem. Also by the forest were 12 Carrier Lizards, golems made in the shape of lizards with wooden open boxes on their back.

"So we'll be using the Chargers to move and the Carriers to transport our bounty?" Nicolas said as the four of them moved toward the golems.

"Indeed, the Carriers and Squires will hand what we kill and defend it. With the three Chargers we will run down our prey and kill them." Sylvestre answered as he walked over and clasped Dante's hand.

"Thank you for coming along old friend, it will be better with someone like you along. And Knight Nicolas, I thank you for coming along on my punishment." Sylvestre continued as he led them the golems and directed them to one each.

"But there are four Chargers?" Nicolas asked as he put the glove on the blue gem of one of the Chargers.

"The last one is for one of the Squires, so he has something to get us if they need us fast. Now come, our hunt shall be in the forests along Victory road itself, let us find our prey my friends!" Sylvestre cried out as he raised his rapier high to calls of agreement from the others as they all mounted a golem, with the squires ridding the Charger leading the other squires with the Knights in front the party set out for the hunting ground.

Lilith smiled as she sat in the dressing room as Serena applied some lipstick to her face. Bonnie and Serena had help her get into her dress Serena had directed Bonnie in applying blush and mascara before she had gone to the bathroom.

"Thanks for this Serena; you and Bonnie really helped me out a lot. I have to say you have an eye for fashion and makeup." Lilith said as she gave herself a once over as her Pokémon's floated next to her. She had decided on one dress but Serena had helped her choose a necklace and earrings, and Bonnie had helped with her hair.

"Thanks, I told you about mom's career and well mom kind of trained me in the sport since I turned ten, and well, fashion magazines and books became an escape for me. And sometimes when mom had parties to go to some of her friends helped her put a mask on as she would say and they taught me a little bit about it." Serena said as emotions flew behind her eyes. Lilith looked at Serena with a blank face but inside she was frowning, Lady Carmila had taught her a lot about people minds and how to _feel_ them, Serena felt had a few issues with how her mother raised her, what she was pushed towards but for all Lilith want to help her she knew that Serena had to work through it herself.

"Still you have a gift, you should think about it when you decide on your future." Lilith said as she gently squeezed Serena's shoulder who answered it with a smile. If what Lilith thought she felt when she meet her, her future would be in the Homeland no matter what happened, and she knew a few people who could do with an apprentice.

"Anyhow I think Clemont is going to _like_ the way you look Lilly." Serena teased Lilith and was rewarded with Lilith blushing.

"And how would Ash react if you dressed up a bit _Serena_?" Lilith countered and laughed as Serena blushed this time. Serena grabbed a small pillow and hit Lilith on the head with it.

"Watch the face; I don't want to put this stuff on again so soon!" Lilith laughed as she grabbed for the pillow.

Bonnie ran through the hallway, dodging people in costumes and Pokémon as she moved back towards the dressing room. This was incredible, the costumes were so colorful and the atmosphere was amazing, she had thought that the Showcase was the only way to perform with Pokémon but this showed that there was so much more out there. Her attention was so caught up with what was around her that she never noticed the figure who stepped in front of her until she bumped into him.

"You should watch where you're going kid." A voice said as a hand reached down and Bonnie grabbed it. The person who helped her up was a purple haired man in green cloths.

"Sorry Mr. I want to get back to my friends and all these people in their costumes just took my attention." Bonnie said as she rubbed the back of her head.

"Just be more careful in the future kid, say weren't you walking with Ash Ketchum outside?" The man asked as he looked at her closely. Bonnie felt something about his look, something that felt _bad,_ that reminded her of the feeling she got before those boys attacked her.

"Yeah, do you know Ash?" Bonnie asked as she slowly reached for her satchel and Dedenne, ready to release him and have him shock Harley.

"You could say that the two of us are acquainted. Say, what's your name?" The man asked as he looked at her. Bonnie looked into his eyes and she felt a twitch of fear, his stare was, there just was something **wrong** about it.

"My name's Bonnie, hello." Bonnie said as she put her hand on her bag over Dedenne, feeling him wake up from his nap, feeling Bonnie's fingers on him Bonnie could feel him start to tense, ready to protect her if needed.

"It's charming to meet you Bonnie. When you see him tell him Harley said hi would ya sweetie? Well it was nice talking with you but I have to get ready for my performance." Harley said as he walked off and waved goodbye while he whistled a tune.

Bonnie just looked after him and walked back toward Serena and Lilith, that person seemed to be a very strange and dangerous man. Ash had talked at supper about some characters he had met while on his journeys around the regions, but he never mentioned Harely.

"There you are Bonnie, are you okay?" Serena's voice caused her notice the hallway was almost empty and the people in the hallway were heading toward the far end while a few well-wishers were heading the other way.

"Yeah, I just ran into someone who knows Ash." Bonnie said as she grabbed Serena's hand and walked toward the stage area.

"Someone who knows Ash, what were they like?" Serena asked Bonnie as they walked out of the backstage area.

"He said his name was Harley and I guess he was strange. He had a look in his eyes when he looked at me, when he said he saw us walking with Ash earlier. I didn't like it, I felt scared for a few seconds." Bonnie said as Dedenne stuck his head out of her bag and looked at Bonnie in concern. Serena eyes gained a hint of worry as she heard what Bonnie had to say and looked around nervously, seeing no one looking at them she pulled Bonnie faster toward where they would meet Ash and Clemont.

"Enjoy the show you two." Nimue voice caused the two to turn and look toward the voice to see Nimue in her costume peering out of her dressing room.

"You look beautiful Nimue!" Serena said as she and Bonnie looked at her.

Brock staggered toward the beak room, he had finally finished with all the patients and he needed something to drink. Entering the room he saw his teacher, Dr. Ryouta Panacelon, a man with black hair in a black smock and pants over a white doctor's coat staring at a map of the city on the wall, next to him stood his wife Sayeko Panacelon a nurse who specialized in viral infections. Since he had come for his residency here in Viridian those two had helped him and taught him a lot about Pokémon medicine and he hoped that the hospital would be able to handle this outbreak.

"Your tracking where they live to find a common denominator, it started near the mountains?" Brock said as he got a glass of water and leaned against the sink. This was basic procedural for an outbreak, and hopeful it wouldn't spread to the rest of the region.

"Yeah, I think so, but I've consulted with trainers and only a few of them were even near the mountains within the last seventy-two hours, and not enough for all the cases we've seen. I sent Joy to do some blood work when the first ten cases came in, so we should have the result in a few minutes. What are the basic symptoms you've seen Doctor?" Dr. Ryouta asked as looked at his student. Brock gave a small smile as his teacher's wife sighed and shook her head, him and his teaching moments.

"Well, all Pokémon I've examined generally seem to be feeling pain and all have other symptoms; all Pokémon with fangs that I've examined, their mouths are red and puffy, Koffings and Weezings are having trouble regulating their gases content and are stuck close to the ground. Most Nidorino or Nidorina that I've examined are lethargic at best, unconscious at worst. Most Flying types are losing their feathers, Fire Types are cold and a Beedrill-" Brock began to report when a woman with pink hair in loops wearing a nurse's outfit ran in holding a piece of paper with a shocked look on her face.

"Ah, Joy! Did the blood work show any common-"Ryouta started to say when Nurse Joy interrupted him.

"It's a spore! What's affecting the Pokémon is a kind of spore!" Joy cut in and slammed the paper she was holding on the table.

"A spore?! What kind of spore could cause these symptoms in all these Pokémon?! And what does that do to the origin point?" Sayeko exclaimed as she looked over the data on Joy's paper. Brock looked over the data and started to look over the genetic data. Brock looked at it and something about it looked familiar.

"I don't know. I had the computers to look for any other changes in their biochemistry, thankfully a Seviper who had coming in for her yearly checkup was the source for one of the blood samples, so we should know any other changes soon." Joy said as she wrung her hands.

"For now the best we can do is make them as comfortable as possible. Put them on generic anti-fungal medicines as their size requires and Brock; what's wrong?" Ryouta said as the other people in the room turned to look at him with looks of worry on their faces.

"This spore, I think I've seen something like it before but I can't remember where or when. It's on the tip of my tongue but I can't remember where." Brock said as he shook his head. Ryouta shared a look with his wife and sighed.

"Until you can remember keep yourself busy with the other patients, I'll go and get a timeline of the last 48 hours from the trainers who are still here after I call the local stations, I'll use my authority to have them put out a warning to tell people keep watch over their Pokémon for symptoms. Sayeko, I need you to start giving out basic pain medicine and Joy, start trying to identify what kind of spore it is, check everything for even a partial match." Ryouta said as he walked toward the desk and phone.

A young teenage boy with dark skin and spikey white hair in a black cloak over black pants and a red long shirt a scabbard on his back ran between white brick houses with a smile on his face, dodging people in similar cloaks and their Pokémon as he ran toward a house by a river that ran alongside the village. An old man with a white beard, a bald head wearing a white robs sat outside a house with a staff as he watched the boats on the river.

"Elder, Elder!" The teen called out as he ran toward the old man who turned and smiled when he saw who was coming towards him.

"Ahh, Bahadur, I was wondering when I would see you today. I am sorry it took so long for your Pokémon to arrive." He said with a smile as he led Bahadur into the house behind him. In the front room, on a red pillow was a Pokéballl which the Elder walked toward and picked up. He walked back toward Bahadur and smiled at him.

"You have passed the Trials of the Blade, mastering your Aura and walking with the Fire within yourself. You have done well, and you have earned the right to be a train Pokémon. May this little one grow under your care, and may this Pokédex help you both on your journey." He said as he handed the ball to Bahadur.

"Go Pokéball!" Bahadur said as he threw the ball away from him, it opened and released his chosen starter, a Magby who looked unsure of its new trainer.

"Hello, we're partners from now on little flame, my name is Bahadur." Bahadur said as he crouched down and stuck out his right hand. The Magby looked hesitant before it smiled and grabbed its trainer's hand with a smile.

"I was surprised that you decided on this one to start with boy'o, I was sure you would choose the Water or the Ground, few choose the Fire in this land." The Elder said as he watched the two begin to bond.

"No, young Aagha's father said that he would arrange for his son's first Pokémon and said that his son had a specific one in mind for his starter, but I can tell you it was of the Ground. Now be off with you, watch yourself and enjoy the rest of your day my boy. And here's your new Pokédex, its scanner can tell you all you need about your Pokémon's move, and don't forget to link it with your Quest Scanner." The Elder said as he pushed the two of them out the door.

"Come on partner, I'll show you around your new home. This is Sola's Rest, a small town named for its founder. Chief export is food for our section of the Desert Domain, that's where we live the Desert Domain of the continent. A land of sand and scattered towns, the river and oasis's are our lifeblood, find a source of water in the badlands and you can sell it to the government or be set for years by making it a homestead or town. And maybe I should see what moves you have." Bahadur said as opened his Pokédex as he led his Pokémon through the town. He didn't notice a rodent looking teen with black beady eyes in a black hooded cloak looking at them from the shadows of a nearby alley.

"Aagha gonna like this, the chance to put that one in his place again and maybe scare his Pokémon's mind. Patrat, let's make some money." The teen cackled as he threw a Pokéball, releasing a Patrat wearing a collar with a blinking light on its back. Pointing at the teen and the Fire type he gave his orders.

"Go follow those two, when they head toward the training field send me a signal." With his orders given the teen scuttled into the shadows of the alleys, running toward what he hoped would be a good payday for him, not noticing someone had been watching **him** from atop the building. The figure was wearing a black cloak and with a nod to a Meditite hovering next to the figure they started to move toward a set of docks by the river.

The rodent reached a walled complex, moving toward the back he climbed up a fake tree and slipped into the compound. He ran towards a two story building near the wall and knocked on a door toward the back. A female figure with glossy skin and vibrant green hair in a maid's uniform with black blue eyes opened the door.

"Do you need to see the master?" The mechanical voice from the figure coupled with the skin and eyes revealed her to a Homunculus.

"No words for you, I wanna talk to your master Dolly." The teen said as he pushed past it into the building, he walked until he reached a large chamber with many teens in red cloaks over red knee-length tunics and were leaning against the walls while three teenage boys were sitting around a table with food on it, but all were watching four female homunculus with dark crimson hair wearing purple tube tops and pants dance while other homunculus in the same clothing move about the room carrying plates of drink and food to the other teens in the chamber. The teen sitting in the middle was a red head with red eyes and wearing a golden version of the tunics the others were warring. The two on his sides both had dark hair and wore black knee-length tunics.

"Are you having fun playing with your dolls, great master?" The teen's voice rang out causing the others in the chamber barring the dancers and servants to turn to look at him

"Rat, so do you want to offer me now?" The voice came from the teen in the golden tunic as the others let their boss speak.

"How about the location of your unworthy foe master Aagha; what would the location of that one and his first Pokémon be worth in coin?" the named Rat asked as he was meet with a smirk from Aagha and grins from those around the chamber.

"The chance to beat him is worth some coin." Aagha answered with a wicked smirk as the others started to laugh evilly.

"Serena, I'm over here!" Ash called to Serena and Bonnie when he saw them through the crowd. The smile on his face slipped when he saw the frown on Serena's face and the way she was holding Bonnie's hand. He looked at Pikachu who nodded at him and moved its tail toward the door. Ash forced himself to smile at Bonnie and pointed toward the open doorway to the stands.

"Clemont and I got some seats in the top row in the Center, why don't you go ahead of us and Serena and I'll go get some snacks? Pikachu, go show her where the seats are." Ash said, promting Pikachu to jump in font of Bonnie and walk off with her following him. Ash turned to Serena who was looking back the way she and Bonnie had come from, when she turned back to Ash and when she saw the look on his face she sighed.

"It's nothing, Bonnie just went to the bathroom and she ran into someone you know on the way back. She said he felt wrong to her so I just hurried over to you and Clemont." Serena said as Ash looked confused for a few seconds before he gained a resigned look.

"Someone I know? Someone who felt, it was here and near the changing rooms so they have to be a Coordinator, and it's a he….Did she say his name was either Drew or Harley?" Ash said as he looked worried.

"She said his name was Harley. Do you have a history with him?" Serena asked when she saw a scowl grow on Ash's face. Ash gritted his teeth as his mind boiled. _It has to be that purple haired schemer! I just hope he doesn't plan to mess with Lilly because she knows me._ He looked at Serena and saw the worried look on her face and adopted a small smile to put Serena's mind at ease.

"A Coordinator I traveled with had a rivalry with him that was all one-sided on his part, he went out of his way to attack, embarrass and sabotage her, and he might have even worked with Team Rocket once, I wasn't sure at the end. I just hope he doesn't decide to attack Lilly." Ash said as he looked around and notice the condensation stand.

"So I was thinking a small Popcorn for Bonnie, Clemont wanted a pretzel and you?" Ash said as he grabbed Serena's hand and walked toward it, not noticing the blush this generated as they walked.

When Ash and Serena returned to where he had left Clemont, Ash saw that Bonnie had looked calm and mouthed 'latter' in reaction to the look Clemont shot Ash. Clemont looked he would have said something when the lights started to darken as a spotlight shinned down on the green girl from the registration desk holding a mike in her hands.

"Welcome one and all the first ever general Pokémon Contest! Here in Kalos we have the Showcase, and while that well and good, it's for girls only! So to try something new in general, for the next year Contests will be held until the League Tournament where everyone in Kalos will vote to decide if this will keep going! For the Contests around this area I'll be your commenter, Leafra's the name so don't you forget it! The judges for this Contest will be Santalune City;s own Nurse Joy, the vice president Pokémon Fan Club Mr. Glomong and yours truly! And now may the Contest begin!" She said as the speakers around the stage boomed out her words.

After a few while Ash turned and looked at Bonnie's face, seeing the awe and wonder the performances so far had been breath taking to the girl, to Ash who had been to two Grand Festivals it was okay. But he looked up from his dex when he saw the lights dim, wondering who was up next.

"Well let's give a big hand for that performance! Up next we have Harely!" Leafra voice cried out as a spotlight shined on the entrance. Harely walked out waving a folding fan imperilessly at the crowd, dressed like a Pokélantis Senator in a green toga with a crown of golden leaves, his Cacturne at his side as they walked to the center of the stage and began

"First Spikes!" Harley commanded before his Cacturne started to spin, sending six green spikes form its body that formed a circle around the two of them.

"Grass Knot and Growth!" The command had the Cacturne eyes grow green as plants started to grow around the spikes before it shot the plants with a white beam that caused them to grow six feet tall around the spikes.

"Now Cotton Spore, like we practiced!" Harley cried out as he thrust with his fan closed as his Cacturne spun and shot white puffy balls that floated above the vine towers.

"Now finish it up with Pin Missiles!" With this command small white pins shot from its spikes and hit the puffy balls, bursting them apart, falling around the towers, creating a scene of an ancient senator standing in a green ruin while it snowed. The audience stared before they began cheering and applauding his performance.

Ash had to admit that he had improved, but sadly skills and personality didn't go hand in hand. Looking at the judges he saw.

"Impressive, quite a show. What do you think Nurse Joy?" Mr. Glomong said as he smiled.

"A truly beautiful combination of moves!" Nurse Joy answered with a smile. Harley gave an imperious bow as he walked off the stage with his Pokémon following him.

"Let's give it up for Harley everyone! And up next is Miss Nimue Mistborn!" Leafra said with a smile on her face.

"So what do you guys think, I'm guessing she has a biker costume giving how she bumped into Clemont." Ash said as he leaned forward with a smirk on his face. Clemont just blushed at the teasing as Serena and Bonnie laughed lightly.

"I have a feeling we'll be surprised." Serena said as she shared a look with Bonnie and both of them smiled.

Nimue walked onto the stage. She was dressed in a ballroom gown that showed the top of her breasts and shoulders, blue opera gloves and a dark pearl necklace falling toward her breasts. Her face had a light coating of aqua green lipstick on her lips and dark blue eye-shadow on her eye lids completed the look. By her side walked a Golduck, while she stopped at the end of the end of the stage the Golduck walked to the center of the stage.

"Start off with a Rain Dance around you." Nimue voice range out like a melody as she stood at the stage's end. Golduck's eyes glowed and clouds formed with Golduck at the center with the clouds ending a few feet from Nimue. As the rain started to fall Nimue brought the fan to her face.

"Follow with an Aqua Jet to gather." She sang out. Her Golduck jumped up wards as water from the rain gathered around it. When it reached the apex of its jump Numue gave her next command.

"Now Psychic on water!" Golducks eye glowed blue and the water trailing behind it broke away and started to makes shapes as the Golduck started to fall.

"Now finish it with an Ice Beam!" The water took on its final shape before a blue beam freezing it into an ice Water symbol that the Golduck landed on with its arms folded against its chest.

The crowed was silent for a few seconds before they exploded with applauses! Joy had a particularly large smile on her face as she gave a standing ovation to the performance.

"I would have to say that was a wonderful set! A wonderful example of what training and practice can accomplish if you try! Mr. Glomong what do you think?" Nurse Joy asked her fellow judge as she sat down.

"I would have to say that was amazing! The Golduck is a wonderful specimen who has been trained to master its powers fully; I have to give full points on this!" He said as he smiled.

"Let's give a big hand to one of the best so far folks! And the last performance of the Appeal's round, give a warm welcome to Miss Lilly Nightbloom!" Leafra said as people quitted down for next

Lilith walked out. She was dressed in a ruby figure-hugging, ankle length dress that showed off her figure and had on pure white opera gloves. Her face had black obsidian lipstick and red eye shadow that gave her eyes the appearance of blue gems on red velvet. Floating next to her was her Misdreavus that slowly moved in a circle around her head. As she walked out toward the stage people were awestruck with the air of sophistication she gave off.

Clemont stared at Lilith with his mouth hanging open, a blush on his face as he looked at her.

"Doesn't she look amazing big brother?" Bonnie's voice snapped him out of his daze and saw that his sister had been watching Lilly closely since she walked onto the stage and hadn't seen his reaction, a small miracle.

"Yes she does look nice Bonnie, you and Serena helped her with it?" Clemont asked as his eyes drank in the figure Lilith made as she walked with her Pokemon.

"Only the makeup, Serena really knows how to apply it nicely." Bonnie answered, causing Ash to look at Serena with a question in his eyes; she sent him a look that they would talk about it later. _I wonder what happened to tomboy Rena over the years?_ Ash mused as his thoughts went back to their youth.

When Lilith reached the middle of the stage she raised her right hand up and called out her first command.

"Will-O-Wisp, far." She called out in a silky voice. Her Misdreavus eyes glowed blue and nine blue glowing spheres of fire formed around it and started to orbit it.

"Charge Beam, spin." Lilith said before her Misdreavus spun counter to the orbiting spheres as yellow sparks started to form around it before a blast of electricity shot at the spheres, the fire gaining electricity and started to hover in place.

Lilith closed her eyes and nodded her head. She opened them when the spheres started to fall.

"Psychic." As soon as the word left her mouth the spheres gained a blue glow as her Misdreavus eyes gained the same color. The spheres flew to the top of the room and started to move about as the Misdreavus went a location at the center of the spheres.

"Finish, Dazzling Gleam." Lilith said as she opened her eyes and smiled. Misdreavus whole body started to glow and a rainbow blast shot out of its body and hit the sphere, destroying them and causing a rainbow of sparks to rain down around Lilith as her Misdreavus came to float behind and above her head.

People stared in awe, so enraptured in it they couldn't even move for a few seconds before they gave a standing ovation to the performance.

"MARVOULOUS! Simply breathe taking! A Perfect showing! What say you Nurse Joy?" Mr. Glomong commented as he stood and applauded.

"One of the best in the whole Contest, I will definitely be keeping an eye on her performances in the future!" Nurse Joy said as she joined those applauding Lilith as she gave a small curtsy and walked off the stage, her ghost type following after her.

Clemont was in awe of what he had seen, Lilly was amazing, there were just no other words for it. Bonnie smiled and clapped as Serena looked at the stage in wonder with a thoughtful look in her eyes. Ash smiled as he looked at the performance, Lilly was a powerful Coordinator, there was no doubt about that at least.

"Well that's the Appeal's round Folks, after a two hour break for lunch and we'll announce the scoring in an hour. After the break we'll have the top 10 fight it out in the Battle round, so for all the people who competed I personally salute you all." Leafra said as she gave a bow to the crowd. As the audience got up Ash motioned to the others to wait for the rest of the crowd to pass before they went to Lilith's dressing room.

Lilith smiled as she washed the makeup off her face in the sink in her room before she put her street cloths back on. She thought she had giving a good showing, and hoped she would make it into the top ten. _I wonder what Clemont thought about how I looked?_ She thought with a blush as she finished putting her shirt back on when her door opened and Bonnie dashed in and hugged her legs.

"That was amazing Lilly! You were great out there." Bonnie said as she looked up at the older girl who reached down and rubbed her head.

"Thanks kid, but next time you should knock before you enter, I was changing, wouldn't want ti catch me in my underwear would you." Lilith said as she looked at the smiling faces of her friends. Her words caused Clemont to blush which caused Lilith to grow a small smirk on her face at his reaction. Serena saw the byplay and gave Lilith a small playful smile.

"So how about I go grab some food and we'll eat here, it's a good habit to protect you stuff when **he's** around." Ash said as he and Pikachu walked off.

"He? He who?" Lilith asked as she looked at Serena as Clemont looked at Bonnie in worry before his eyes hardened and he turned to Serena with a bit of anger in his eyes.

"Is this connected to why Pikachu brought Bonnie to the seats?" Clemont demanded as Lilith looked at Bonnie.

"Bonnie ran into someone Ash knew, a Coordinator that Ash says doesn't mind pulling dirty tricks to get ahead. And Bonnie…" Serena trailed off as Bonnie put her head down, prompting Lilith to stoop down and pull her into a hug.

"I didn't like his eyes; there was something wrong about them and his voice, it was, I can't describe it. I just didn't like the feeling he gave off." Bonnie confided in the others as Clemont clenched his hands as he looked out the door, the anger on his face showing that he wanted to introduce this person to his axes.

Ash moved through the hallways carrying a few cardboard boxes with food a small smile on his face as he walked with Pikachu next to him, he had gotten a bit of everything and he hoped that the others would like something, now if he could just… he stopped when a voice called out to him

"Well, well. Ash Ketchum, never thought I'd see you again." The words caused him to turn and see Harley still in his costume a self-satisfied smirk on his face.

"Harley, and here I was wondering what the stench I smelled when I got to the contest hall was." Ash said dryly causing Harley to jolt and stare open mouthed for a few seconds before a grin stretched across his face.

"Well, little Ash is growing up, what a wonderful burn; do you kiss your mother with that mouth?" Harley shot back as Pikachu's checks started to spark. Ash merely used his foot to nudge Pikachu down the hall away from Harley.

"And how did you find yourself here, fall off a garbage tuck?" Ash commented with a deadpanned look on his face as he walked away leaving Harley to fume and stare after him.

Harley looked after Ash and snarled as he pounded back toward his dressing room. _That little Kanto brat really has changed. I can't wait to smash that girls little Pokémon in the Battle Round._

Magnus looked troubled as he walked through the hallway; he was troubled by the report he had received along with a scan of his sister yesterday and it was nothing but trouble. He had made some progress on his nephew's sealing and he had discovered that he was a least three sets, the first he had was sure of, the next halfway and the last was the hardest to identify. He had identified the first as an abomination that held back his emotional maturity but it had started to break apart and it was almost fully gone, something had happened that had broken it. He hoped that Camilla had found something; she had said that she was looking into his journey in more detail, maybe she would know. Delia's was even worse, one that took her memoires and another that was unknown to him, and that raised all sorts of alarms in his head.

Looking up he saw Camilla walk out of a room with a dazed look on her face, maybe she would know something.

"Ah, Camilla, found out anything about my nephew?" Camilla just walked on not reacting to his voice. Growing concerned he ran up to her and put his hand on her shoulder, causing her to turn and face him.

"Oh, Magnus, how's the work examining the young Princes seals?" She said when her eyes focused onto his face.

"Rather well, I've identified three arrays, one that seemed to be breaking down because of something that happened a few years ago if I'm analyzing it right." Magnus said, his words causing her to wince.

"Camilla, what did you find? If it's about what happened to him…" Magnus began before Camilla interrupted him flatly.

"He has zero self-preservation when lives are on the line." Camilla said as she started to walk down the hall.

"What did he do?" Magnus asked as a headache started to form.

"In the Rota Township he released the Lucario in the Lost Guardian's staff, led a party to invade the Tree of Beginning, discovered why the Guardian left and almost gave all up his Aura to revitalized the Tree." Camilla said as Magnus stopped and went white. He slammed his hand against his face and rubbed his forehead before he walked after her.

"I thought that his Aura wasn't 'awake'?" Magnus asked in confusion causing Camilla to turn and look at him with a haunted look.

"It isn't." She deadpanned as she walked on, stopping Magnus for a moment in shock before he moved to catch up with her.

"Why did the apple have to fall so close to the tree? I swear he's probably just like his father and mother combined." He moaned as they walked through the halls.

"What about Delia's seals? Have you identified anything about them?" Camilla question as they walked. Magnus noticed that they were walked toward the throne room, and after a few minutes of thought he decided to wait.

"I identified that she has two, one I'm sure of and the other I'll tell you and the boss when we meet up for the general briefing tonight. I only want to go over it once." Magnus said with a sigh as he walked.

"No spoilers old friend?" Camilla asked with a pout on thrown over her shoulder as they walked.

"None for you." He answered; sparking a laugh from Camilla as he walked in front of her to hide his smirk, glad that she was back to normal.

The party that had sent out from Team Gaia's Base had been moving quickly and secretly through the wild and had move a good distance, the mountain the Base was in had disappeared over the horizon a few hours back. The time had passed with small talk and trail songs, a few times a few Flying types had flown low and gotten capture arrows shot at them, a few were brought down and one had escaped. The squires had added them to the cargo, and already one of the Carriers was full, a good start to the hunt.

Nicholas had mixed feelings about the traveling, it had let him learn about both Sylvestre and Dante, but the convoy's travel had given him anytime to talk to anyone alone, but once they set up camp it might give him a chance to talk to either Sylvestre or Dante privately, and he needed to. Going over his memories of interactions with the 'newcomers' he was sure something was up with them, but if his seniors were involved with it he then he might be in trouble if he brought it up. He looked down and saw his Teddiursa looking up at him and smiled at his Pokémon, at least he would have his partner with him if he needed to run, if Sylverstre was involved in whatever it was.

After a while of riding they reached a clearing in a forest near a mountain between them and Viridian City, and after a few minutes the camp had been set up and the Carriers had been 'parked' and Sylvestre started to lead Dante and Nicholas into the woods.

"Now if we find Beedrills, try to cut off their limb stingers at least, my brother said something about a ritual he needed it for. Dante take the kid toward the right and I'll go to the left, we'll do a circle and make sure the camp is secure before we go farther out." Sylvestre said as he melted into the trees, disappearing from sight in seconds. Nicholas looked at where he had disappeared and shook his head, Dante smirking at his reaction.

"Yeah, the bossman is good at that shadow stuff, now come on kid, let us see if there are any dens near our basecamp." Dante said with a smirk as they moved through the woods. With a small smile on his face Nicholas moved after him, a sense of wonder at the skill his would be lord displayed, and he hoped he would be able to talk to him about his concerns soon. He decided to take a chance, they were far enough away that if he needed to he could fight his way to freedom.

"Say, Sir Dante, have you been around the newcomers much?" Nicholas started as he walked slowly behind Dante.

"Not much, I'm on guard duty more often than not at the lookout on top of the base, Haunter can slip through the base and worn people if anything happens, why?" Dante asked as they moved through the shadows of the trees. Nicholas slowly moved his hand to his partner's ball and continued solidly.

"I don't want to make trouble where there is none, but I've felt something _off_ about them. And the way some of them talk, I just wondering about how they're found and brought in, that's all." Nicholas said as he moved behind his senior.

"Off how? Wait a minute, what's this?" Dante said as they were suddenly engulfed in fog. Dante held up a hand and slowly moved forward until they exited the fog, entering a clearing with a large tree 50 feet high with a hollow three quarters up in the center of the clearing, all around were webs that went from the branches of the tree in the center to the trees along the edges and on the ground all around.

"What fresh hell is this?" Dante muttered as he drew his weapon, a two sided broad axe before he released his Haunter.

"Up, around the clearing and immaterial buddy, let us know if you find anything." Dante ordered as Nicholas drew his long sword and released his own partner.

"I don't like this; we should have seen this from the campsite." Nicholas said as they slowly observed the clearing.

"We wouldn't, look at the trees by the edge, you can see carvings on them under the webs; I think their Aura Seals." Dante said grimly as his Haunter went near the outer trees before starting to check the clearing for anything hidden.

"Who would make something like this, and why?" Nicholas asked as his Teddiursa moved slowly to stand infront of its trainer.

"The bossman's brother said once that Aura Seals are the most instinctive of all Disciplines, a Pokémon or a _creature_ might of made this to protect its lair." Dante said grimly as he held his arm out to keep Nicholas and his partner from moving past him, his eyes on the ground before them, paying special attention to clumps of webbing.

"A creature? A Chimera. We're in a Chimera's lair, one that's able to use Aura Seals?" Nicholas whispered in shock as he paled before he started to look around the clearing in worry.

"Maybe, it might just be an old temple protected by Seals that something took over as a den by something, maybe Pokémon. But let's wait until my partner finishes his sweep, well leave after that but keep your eyes open in the meantime and stay away from the webs; I've got a bad feeling about it." Dante said grimly as he watched his Haunter move slowly around the clearing, keeping away from the webs as it moved about, finally it just shock it head-body and moved back towards its trainer, keeping overwatch over the others, following them as they silently left the area.

"Haunter's done, but that hollow is giving me a bad feeling, so let's get out of here, now and tell the bossman what's here." Dante said as he and Haunter slowly backed out of the clearing. A few minutes after they had left the clearing a human hand reached out of the hollow in the tree and grabbed the edge of the hole and a musical laugh echoed around the clearing.

"Come my daughters, there is new prey for us to hunt tonight; I wonder which of you will join your dear mother?" The voice rang out as all around the clearing large clumps of webs started to move.

Brock walked through the halls with a tired smile on his face, it had been a long few hours but the patients were getting better. Blood tests had shown that the amount of the spore was decreasing in the blood of the Pokémon as time went by, a few more tests to find out what it did, and if the majority continued healing they would be able to send the majority of them home tomorrow. He still hadn't remembered where he had seen it but he was sure he would be able to eventually. _I just hope that what I remember doesn't make this worse._ Brock thought to himself as he walked toward the break room, hoping to touch base with his teacher. When he entered the break room he saw his teacher angrily staring at the map, his wife next to him with a sorrowful look on her face as she stood with him.

"I'm guessing that you found out something with the timeline?" Brock said as he came to the map and stood with them, his voice causing them to jolt and turn to look at him.

"Yes unfortunately. Whenever that spore infected them it had to have been between midnight last night to before eight this morning, when I don't know and given how fast it's going through them the League won't classify this as an epidemic, just as an outbreak." Ryouta said bitterly as his wife tried to comfort her.

"I don't agree with them dear but I can see where their coming from. So far all we know right now is that the spore causes pain and even then it doesn't last longer than a few hours. For a wind borne epidemic it's not as bad as it could be." Sayeko words caused Brock to frown as something started to echo in his mind.

"Wait a minute, wind borne? What did Jenny say this morning?" Brock stopped looking at the map before his face started to loose color. He dashed toward a computer in the room and started to navigate to a weather report.

"Brock, what's wrong?" Sayeko said as she and her husband moved toward him and started to grow worried.

"Oh by Arceus I was right." He said as he held his head as he stared at the screen. A hurricane was due to glance the region in a few days, going right alongside Cycle road going right at . When he and his wife saw what was on the monitor they both started to pale.

"A hurricane? I knew we should have watched the new this morning, I just knew it." Sayeko breathed in horror as she stared at the monitor as she started to feel faint.

"If there's another outbreak of this just before this hits the area, even if it doesn't migrate to humans the potential loss of life is massive. I need to contact Officer Jenny; she needs to be warned about this." Ryouta said as he massaged his head.

"If it migrates the deliberating pain and the winds, the potential loss of life I can't even imagine the scale." Sayeko whispered as she stared into space.

"Maybe the winds will cause the spore to die or be destroyed. That's possible right?" Brock asked as he turned and looked at the other two people, meeting their grim looks and looked downwards and released a sigh.

"We have no idea the shape or makeup of the spore before it infects a host, so maybe but with the symptoms I really doubt it. I don't know how this can get any worse than it is." Ryouta said as they looked at the computer, turning when the door opened and Joy came into the room, looking worried, her eyes meeting theirs and frowning when she saw their looks.

"I'm guessing that what I discovered won't be the worst about this thing." Joy said as she gave a small weak smile.

"What is it Joy, what did you find?" Sayeko asked with worry as they took looked at her.

"I'm still waiting on some results for the hormones and any affects the spore is doing to the body but I was able to identify hybrid planet-animal protean as a key part of the spore, I think that this was from a Pokémon. To be honest it reminds me of a Stun Spore I once looked at back during my school days, it was from a Paras…" She trailed of as Brock slipped from his chair as his eyes glazed over.

"BROCK! Are you okay?" Sayeko demanded as she went to her knees as her husband steadied Brock as she looked into his eyes. His eyes had that look in them when people were remember something that terrified them.

"That's where I saw it before; it was an incident that happened a few years ago in Hoenn, a Chimera that used spores to hunt had attacked a Nuzleaf." Brock whispered as the others exchanged concerned looks.

"A Chimera?" Joy breathed as the other three started to process Brock's revelation. Each starting to remember the horrors they had encountered accredited to those abominations

"Spores released from a source able to move; that would explain everything about how our patients were infected." Ryouta said grimly as he shook his head as he frowned.

"It uses the spore to disable its prey, the time limit is so they could infect an area and find food." Sayeko said in horrified realization as she held her arms, remember the last Chimera Siege.

"Think the League would reclassify this now?" Brock asked as he grimaced, remember some politicians he had met when he became a Gym Leader.

"Maybe if we bring back proof, but if this outbreak was, _deliberate_ then I don't know if I could even go into the mountains while preparing for the Hurricane." Ryouta said as he shook his head.

"I'll visit the local Gym on my way home maybe they'll be able to spare a few trainers to join me on an expedition into the mountains to find the source." Brock promised his teacher who sighed.

"Thank you Brock, but we have a lot of work to do and few hours to do it in. Love, I need you to contact our suppliers, they should already be readying disaster supplies with the Hurricane coming in so arrange delivery for as soon as they can, Joy contact your sister in Pewter, we need her to send all the help she can spare, Brock I want you to keep during your rounds, check on every patient here and once your done head over to the Gym, that expedition has to happen, I'll head over to the lab and try to find a counter poison for this thing." Ryouta said as he led his team out of the room to do what they had to help their patients.

Ash and Clemont had returned to their seats after eating and Lilith had gone off with Serena and Bonnie to put her makeup and outfit back on. Bonnie and Serena had returned to the seats later, having finished helping Lilith and returned to watch the Battle Round. After a few battles it was time for the final three battles.

"What a competition it has been so far! And without further ado, let's begin the quarter finals! First up is Mr. Harley VS Miss Nimue!" Mr. Glomong cried out as both trainers walked on stage in their costumes.

"Go Samurott!" Nimue said as she threw out a Pokeball, from which her Pokémon appeared.

"Appear, Wigglytuff!" Harley cried out as he did the same, releasing his Wigglytuff. Behind the judges a scoreboard appeared with both trainers pictures appeared. He smirked, he had this in the bag besides being a pretty fact this girl had reacted like she had never even battled in official tournaments before, and her Pokémon were probably trained by a relative who died or something like that. _An easy win and then I'll crush ashy new friend._ He thought as he chuckled to himself.

"Samurott, start with a Slash!" Nimue cried out. Her Samurott shot forward as its claws glowed.

"Dodge and Pound!" Harley command before his Wigglytuff dodged to the right and tried to deliver a devastating Pound attack on its horn. But Samurott dodge by moving its head back and sliced down with its horn, dropping his score by five points.

"Disengage up and Water Gun!" Nimue commanded. Samurott jumped backwards and shot a spiral of water that hit and cost Harley another five points. Harley gritted his teeth as his thoughts flew around his head. _How is she this good, she was acting like she never had any official…. Could her skills come from unofficial matches, where how?!_

"Move in with Megahorn!" Harley gritted his teeth as he tried to think of a counter.

"Dodge it and hit it with a Double Slap!" Harley commanded. Wigglytuff tried to dodge backwards but Samurott jumped and landed a glancing hit with its horn before it turned its head to throw Wigglytuff away from itself. Then Harely's score dropped a solid tenth as he gritted his teeth, the battle was not going the way he thought it would.

"A powerful hit." Mr. Glomong said as he and the judges watched the battle.

"So far that Samurott has shown to be trained to a wonderful slandered, I think if they move on we will have a wonderful final match." Leafra said as she leaned against the table with a grin on her face.

"Ice Beam! Hit it!" Harley cried out before his a light blue ball formed in front of Wigglytuff mouth before a white beam shot at Samurott.

"Samurott, counter with Razor Shell!" Nimue called out. Her Samurott drew both its seamitars and as they gained a blue glow before it used them to cut the beam in two, dropping Harley's score in half while her own dropped by a fourth. _THAT'S IT! NO more Mr. NiceGuy, I am breaking this bitch so bad she quits!_

"THUNDER!" Harley cried out in anger, causing Ash to harden his eyes as he watched from the stands, having heard that tone of voice many times before. In response yellow sparks danced around its body before a massive beam of electricity shot at its opponent. Nimue gave no reaction as she commonly intoned a command

"Protect." Nimue called before a light green glowing sphere formed around Samurott, blocking the attack, causing Harely's score to drop by twenty points. Harley turned to look at the board for a second and that was all Nimue needed.

"Megahorn, then finish it Scald." Nimue commanded.

"Dodge it then fire a Hyper beam!" Harley cried as he started to look unhinged.

Samurott ran towards its opponent as its horn gained a white glow and grew bigger, but the attack missed the Fairy type by inches, Samurott was able to stop right in front of the judge's table. Wigglytuff spun around and opened its mouth as a yellow-orange ball formed. Nimue's eyes had widened at Harley's command and made a choice, one that might cost her the match but she meet her Pokemon's eyes from where it was standing and saw it nod at her.

"Tank the shot and hire a Scald!" Nimue cried out. The Judges who had been frozen when they saw Wiggltyuff generate the glowing sphere pointed in their direction were shocked back to their sense when they heard what Nimue called out, looking at her before they wiped their heads to the battle.

"FULL POWER WIGGLYTUFF!" Harley screamed out as the yellow-orange ball grew in size before it shot a yellow-orange beam at Samurott, Mr. Glomong reacted to the attack by grabbing Nurse Joy and pulling her down and covered her body with his own as Leafra scrambled away, running for the opposite side of the stage from Samurott.

The Hyper beam hit and exploded, causing a cloud of dust to form that covered the entire back wall of the stage. Harley gave a smirk right before a stream of white water blasted a hole through the dust and hit Fairy type, knocking it out before Harley could cry out a command.

The dust dissipated and his score was revealed Samurott to be panting with one eye closed, barely standing. Behind it the Mr. Glomong helped Nurse Joy back to her feet and both of them turned to look right at Harley with looks of disgust and anger. Mr. Glomong turned back to Nurse Joy and exchanged a few words before he gestured at Samurott and Joy nodded with a grimace and picked up a microphone.

"We will be having a short recues to discuss the rules, please everyone stay where you are." Nurse Joy said frostily as Harley looked around and saw here and there were people looking at him with disgust over the risk he had taken with that last attack. Nurse Joy put down the microphone and walked towards Nimue who had run to her Samurott and was bent down and talking to it softly as she rubbed its chin. When Nurse Joy reached them she joined Nimue in a crouch and started to look over the Water Type.

"I don't get it what is Nurse Joy talking about, why are people so angry?" Bonnie asked as she saw that Ash had a look of anger on his face. Bonnie looked around and saw a few others who had looks of anger and shock on their faces but most people just looked confused. She turned toward Serena and saw the same look Ash had and turned to her brother for answers

"There are times when you shouldn't use an attack and times you should. Because Samurott was right in front of the Judges table if Samurott dodged then the Judges might have gotten hurt. What Harley just did was show the Judges he would do anything to win, even hurt someone. And that's the thing about Contests, you can lose points depending on what you do, not just what happens to your Pokémon." Ash said as he glared at Harley. Nurse Joy had finished talking with Nimue and nodded to Mr. Glomong who sighed and shook his head and turned to Leafra and after a few words Leafra nodded and walked to the center of the stage and held up a Microphone to give the ruling.

"After a long debate the judges have come to this ruling. While no single rule was broken, it has been decided that the attack ordered by Harley while not illegal it was not well thought out but by the contests rules he lost the battle before the last attack hit, but for his actions he has been disqualified from this competition, I hope he shows better judgment in the future. Because of the attack's range Miss Nimue has forfeited her next match out of concern for her Pokémon and has been awarded second place overall, therefore the final match is between the last two trainers in the Contest to decide who will win and who will be award third place, thank you for the wait." Leafra said before she bowed to the audience.

"So Lilly or her opponent will win this thing, hu? And with Harley disqualified he won't even get a single penny out of this **and** people will know how he acts, not to bad really." Ash said as he felt his Pokedex vibrate. He touched one of its buttons and promised himself he would check the alert latter and looked at Harley being led away from the stage, an air of anger about him.

"And it's Lilly against that Beedrill's trainer right, the guy who used a Dustox right, what was his name again?" Serena asked as Ash looked at her for a minute

"Xion, his name was Xion Tristo, and did you notice Joy's face when Leafra said his last name?" Ash asked Serena who shook her head and looked at the Judge's table, she looked back toward Ash and he could see that she hadn't.

"And here it is folks, the final match! This battle is for first and third place between Lilly and Xion! Good luck to both trainers!" Leafra said as pictures of both trainers appeared on the score board. Lilith walked out of one side of the stage and her opponent walked out of the other. The figure who walked out to battle was a male teen around Ash and the others age; he had brown hair and brown eyes, his costume of choice was a medieval archer's costume in green. Ash looked around and noticed some on the people faces were looks of anger

"Appear, Liepard!" Lilith cried as she released her Liepard.

"Fly, Beedrill! Xion commanded as a strong looking Beedrill appeared and started to hover five feet off the ground.

"Twinneendle, full strike." Xion cried out. His Beedrill shot forward, both stingers ready to strike. Neither Lilith nor her Pokemon reacted as the Bug type flew straight at its target. Suddenly right before it could hit Lilith gave her command.

"Jump and Thunder Wave!" At the command Liepard started to run at the charging Beedrill, jumped onto its head and spun in midair before it released a shockwave of electricity that drove the Beedrill to the floor where it spasmed as electricity danced over its form. Liepard landed and ran back toward the paralyzed Bug. The scoreboard behind the judge's table showed that Xion had dropped ten points while Lilith's stayed at one hundred.

"Beedrill! Get back in the air!" Xion cried in worry.

"Grass Knot, capture it!" Lilith said as she looked straight at her opponent. Liepard's eyes glowed green before ten green vines and erupted from the ground three each grabbed the stingers, one each for its legs and two around it abdomen stinger. As it continued to spasm its trainer's score dropped in half.

"Shadow Ball Barrage, mobile!" Lilith commanded. Her Liepard started to run around the trapped Bug and fired black balls of energy that drove down its trainer's score five points with each hit. Finally when it only had twenty points left the Beedrill stop its spasms and was able to break free and take flight, dodging the last sphere.

"Agility, get some range!" Xion cried, the command causing Beedrill to start to fly around the stage, always keeping its body and face pointed toward its opponent.

"Double Team, try to confuse it." Lilith called out as she tried to keep her eyes on the flying Bug. Liepard body started to glow white as it ran and soon a pack of Liepards was running around the stage trying to catch the flying Beedrill as he weaved one in front of the other until which one was the original was.

"Pin Missile, rapid fire! Try to hit it!" Xion called out as he tried to figure out a new plan.

Beedrill's stinger glowed white and shot multiple small white needles which destroyed a Liepard when they hit until it final hit the real one, knocking it down and dropping Lilith's score by ten.

"Giga Impact!" Lilith called out. Liepard glowed white as it raced toward the Beedrill and light yellow streaks surrounded its body.

"Try to dodge it!" Xoin cried out but before his Pokémon could move before its opponent jumped and hit the Beedrill in its chest, knocking it to the floor and winning the match.

Xoin walked off stage and walked to his changing room quietly with a look of anger on his face.

"Boss!" he looked up and saw a teen with his black hair in a mohawk wearing green sunglass in white clothing with a light green jacket running toward him.

"That little bitch had to have cheated boss, ain't no way you would have lost in a fair fight." Mohawk said as he fell into step behind him. Xion let his minion prattle on as he went over what he knew about the girl he battled.

"Wasn't that girl with the newest challenger to the gym?" Xion said as a smirk grew on his face.

"Yeah, she was boss, what ya planning." Mohawk asked as they entered the dressing room assigned to him. Xion smirked evilly as he turned to Mohawk.

"Just that maybe big sis would like to try the newest challenger, and maybe I could teach that little bitch some respect for her betters." Xion snarled as he went toward his

"If you're after Ashy, I think I could help you out." A voice from the doorway caused the two of them to turn and see Harley leaning against the doorway, a savage grin on his face.

"What's your angle?" Xion demanded as he looked at the purple haired Coordinator.

"Let's just say I always get even, each and every time." Harley said as he chuckled darkly.

"Lilly Nightbloom, Nimue Mistborn, I am proud to award the both of you a General Contest Ribbon. For the code please present this Ribbon at the Pokémon Center at any time within the next few days. I hope I will see you both compete again at the Grand Festival." Mr. Glomong said to applause as he handed over a ribbon each to the teens still in their costume.

Nimue and Lilith both bowed to the crowds with their Pokemon and walked off the stage.

"I'm a bit sorry we weren't able to have a match, I might have learned a lot from you." Nimue said to Lilly as they walked. Lilith looked around before noticing that they in front of her dressing room and decided to take a chance. _If I'm wrong I'll just daze her like I did to Alexa._

"Say would you come in for a moment Nimue, I need a bit of help getting out of this." Lilith asked as she gestured to the room, Nimue entered before Lilith followed her in and closed and locked the door.

"Sure, if you don't mind helping me when…" Nimue stopped talking when a black glowing hand was put on her shoulder and she started to glow blue her eyes widening as she registered the Aura use.

"I KNEW IT! WHO are you working for!?" Lilith snarled as she spun Nimue around and grabbed her arms.

"Working for, your awake and not from the Sisterhood?! How, all other Aura users died out because of the King's weapon besides us!" Nimue stammered as she met Lilith eyes in shock. The shock caused Lilith to let her go.

"Sisterhood? I think the both of us need to talk, tonight? Near the gym?" Lilith said as Nimue gave a shaky nod.

"Lilly are you in there, Bonnie and I are here to help you." Serena's muffled voice called from the door. Lilith shot Nimue a look and was met with a nod.

"Thanks Serena, I didn't think you two would come so I asked Nimue for help." Lilith said as she walked toward the door. When she opened the door and let them in.

"I was able to talk Clemont into it since we saw Harley leave earlier." Serena said as she and Bonnie entered the room

"You were great in the Appeals Nimue, and you both battled great!" Bonnie cheered as she looked at the both of them.

"Say I have an idea, giving the time how about we all go eat at the center, Ash has a spice topping that you have to try Nimue." Lilith said as she shot her a look that Bonnie and Serena didn't see.

"It would give us a chance to talk more, so I guess that's okay." Nimue said with a small smile as her thoughts were trying to deal with the reality that was Lilly Nightbloom. _There are still Aura users besides us out there. I knew we should have gone out into the world more. If sis sends hunters after me it might be something if Lilly is on my side, but how she confronted me means she's fought other Aura users, I need to know the truth._

Bahadur smiled down at his starter as he led him over a bridge ten feet wide and thirty feet long with the sun starting to set. He had spent the last few hours get to know his Pokémon and show him his new home. He thought a few times something might have been following the two of them but he was probably seeing things or had seen something scrounging for food.

"And that's our town in a nutshell. The last place I want to show you is right across the river, . It's just within the field Casters setup to keep out Chimera and Pokémon swarms out, not that it works all the time so a few years ago local militia set up some lookout posts along the river on the opposite shore. It's a field where local trainers gather to compete with each other and where the town has its annual adulthood ceremony." Bahadur said as he led his Pokémon towards the field.

"The only problem I have with the town is the Bloody Maulers, a gang of hooligans led by the son of the town's biggest merchant. The merchant is an okay person, his son was raised by his ex-wife before she died last year, and since he came to town I've been butting heads with him at least once a weak. Since he's become a trainer I'm sure he'll be around for a battle sooner or later." Bahadur said with a grimace before two figures his height in red cloaks with pulled hoods over their head appeared before him at the end of the bridge, a male Nidoran and a Stunky by their trainer's sides respectively.

"And these are the Bloody Maulers little buddy." Bahadur said as his right hand slowly went to the sword on his back.

"Now normally I would fight you on my own, but with my partner here how about we put a rain check and have a battle tomorrow?" Bahadur said as Magby started to growl, only for his words to cause smirks to erupt from on the faces of the people before him.

"How about we have a battle right now? Go Sandile!" A voice from behind caused Bahadur turn his head and saw Aagha throw a Pokéball that released a Sandile wearing a collar with a grey stone on it. By his side were the twins, one had released a Phanpy and the other had a Roggenrola out. Behind them were four other wearing red cloaks each one seemed to leer at the Bahadur and his starter.

"Aagha, didn't the beating I give you with our weapons earlier this week give you anything to think about?" Bahadur asked as the cloaked figures started to snicker as Aagha's face grew red.

"YOU SHUT IT; I WAS GOING TO BEAT YOU ON MY OWN BUT NOW! Khadim, Charandas, send your Pokémon to help mine beat that Fire beast black and blue! Once it's down we'll give Hero boy here a few scars!" Aagha bellowed as the named trainers looked at their Pokemon and nodded at them. Bahadur's Magby shot it's trainer a troubled look and was met with a weary grin.

"This is going to be trouble partner." Bahadur gritted his teeth as he looked at the two trainers behind him and started to inch toward the river, hoping to jump onto a passing boat to get away or to at least gain some range.

"Not if you got some help bro! Poliwag; use Water Gun aimed at the Roggenrola!" A male voice cried out as a spiral of water from the river hit the Roggenrola, stunning it and damaging it greatly.

"We're helping too! Night Slash on the Phanpy, Pidove!" A musical voice called before a gray, pigeon-like Pokémon with a black glowing wing hit the blue ground type with its wing, sending it flying at the rock type, sending the Roggenrola flying out over the river.

"Meditite, grab that Roggenrola with Confusion and use it as a frail on the Pokemon behind Bahadur!" A female voice called out before the Roggenrola glowed blue and was thrown into the Nidoran and the Stunky.

"YOU THREE!?" Aagha snarled as he spun and looked at three figures walking out of the alleys. The male figure was wearing a black cloak, had blue hair in a ponytail, blue eyes and had a smirk on his face. He wore a black cloak over a blue shirt and black pants and sneakers, on his back were two short swords.

The first female had a voluptuous figure and dark crimson hair in waves that went down her back, jade eyes while the only makeup on her face was navy blue lipstick. Her black cloak was over a brown tube top and brown pants and shoes, on her hands were clawed gloves with navy blue stones on the tops of them.

The second female had a slender body with blue hair in rings on the side of her head and blue eyes with a fierce glint in them. She wore a black cloak over a grey shirt and grey pants and boots, on her legs were black greaves. Next to her floated a Meditite who eyes were glowing blue.

"Good thing sissy was practicing her parkour and saw our least favorite rodent spy on you bro." The male said as he crossed his arms as a Poliwag jumped onto the bridge and go into formation with Magby as the girl's Pidove landed on Magby's other side.

"What's the play Bahadur!" The voluptuous girl cried as winds started to gather around her hands. Bahadur looked around, noting that the Roggenrola was knocked out and the Nidoran and Stunky looked to be near the point to take them down, while the Phanpy was standing next to Sandile while the four behind them started to release their Pokémon; two Cubone, a Gligar and a Machop. He shot a look at his Magby and saw it nod at him with a smirk on its face.

"Ruchika and Pidove, you two back up Etana and Meditite to take the Pokémon behind Aagha! Farbod, you and Poliwag use range combat on the two behind me. Me and Magby will take out the two in front of us!" Bahadur called out as he made a plan to get out of this conscience.

"Pidove, aim a Combined Gust at the Cubones!" Ruchika said as she thrust her hands forward, a blast of wind flying towards the cloaked trainers and their Pokémon.

Pidove had shoot off the bridge and throw a small blast of wind at the Pokémon, the winds combined and formed a small hurricane which threw all four of the Maulers's Pokémon a few feet off the ground. The trainers drew cudgels and ran at the three trainers. Etana released a small laugh and smirked at their actions.

"Catch one of the Cubones and us it as a frail!" Etana said as she shot forward and spun around, kicking out with her right leg and hit one of the Maulers's in the head, knocking him out. While this happened one of the Cubone's gained a blue outlined and floated upward before it was thrown at the Gligar and Machop, knocking out the thrown Cubone and the Gilgar. Farbod drew his two short swords and ran towards his sister, blocking a blow of the Maulers's sent at the back of her head, after which he was dealt a devastating kick to the side of his head, leaving only two more for the brother and sister to deal with.

"Poliwag, stay back and Water Gun anything that moves toward the boss!" Farbod said as he slashed at the gang member he was fighting. Poliwag in response to the order shot a spiral of water at the other end of the bridge, forcing back the Pokémon there.

"Let's do this partner! Flare Blitz!" Bahadur said as he watched the battles around him.

"Mag by Magb!" Magby cried out with courage as flames started to form around him.

Magby covered himself in flames and shot at the Phanpy and threw a punch at it, sending it flying at its trainer sending them both back into the trainers behind him when it hit him. Magby had turned toward the Sandile and cried out a challenge.

"Flare Blitz? His beast knows **that** move!?" One of Aagha's bookends demanded as the three stared at the Pokémon Battle. Bahadur merely smirked as he looked around at the varies combat happening around him. _With some luck we'll get out of this in one piece._

"We got some more coming at us Bahadur!" Ruchika voice cut in and Bahadur turned toward her to see ten more members of the Maulers's running toward the fight with their Pokémon out. Bahadur merely gritted his teeth and looked

"Breakout time guys! Magby, attack with me!" Bahadur said as he turned away from the town and ran toward the field. Magby shot in front of him and punched the Stunky, knocking it out and opening a path for them.

"Breakout!?" Aagha snarled before he started to glow blue before his body was slammed to the ground.

"Like this fatty!" Etana said as she jumped over the prone figure as her before she jumped and knocked out one of the Maulers's at the end of the bridge as her Meditite floated after her, Ruchika meanwhile shot a blast of wind behind her to assist her in jumping over the river while her Pidove flew next to her and Farbod ran over the bridge as his Poliwag fell in behind him.

"Magby, Smog, make it nice and big!" Bahadur said as his friends joined on the other side of the river. Magby released enough smoke from his mouth that

"Pidove Gust, blow it at them!" Ruchika command before her Flying type beet its wings and sent the smoke at Aagha who was being helped up by his minions.

"Come on guys, we'll make for the front of the village!" Aagha heard Bahadur shout out through the smoke. As the smoke cleared he saw his followers gather at the bridgehead and moved back toward the town.

"You two idiots follow me; we'll cut them off at the town's entrance. Five of you go after them, we'll pincer them between us, some of you help those fools knocked out here back to the house, the rest guard here." Aagha commanded as he ran through the streets, his Pokémon at his heels. Eight members and their pokemon ran across the bridge, three stopping to help their comrades up and started to help them back toward their base. When all was said and done two gang members were left at the bridge, each with a Cubone standing guard. After a while the one on the left turned to his comrade and asked a question.

"Hey, did you notice the hair on that wind girl? Looks like the boss's dolls." One said to another before a blast of wind hit the person who he was talking to as a water spiral hit his friend's Cubone. Turning, he and his Ground type saw the people the rest were after, before he could do anything Etana shot forward and dropped an axe kick on his head and knocked him out before Poliwag shot another Water Gun at his Pokémon knocking it out.

"He has 'dolls' with my hair color?!" Ruchika demanded as they walked back into town with her Pidove on her right shoulder as she fumed. _Those bastards had better have been talking about toy dolls and not the other kind. If he has a single Homunculus with my color I'll strangle him._

"It seems we have something to look into then, if they are those kind of 'dolls' where would he even get Homunculus like that anyway, there isn't anyone with skill in Alchemy to make humanoids in town and gossip would of talked if he brought packages that size from the river barges." Bahadur said as they moved towards their homes.

"No one who advertises that they have that skill anyway, no one knew that you were a Wind Auralist until you blew those people trying to grab you away, right Ruchika?" Etana said, causing Ruchika to give a silent nod.

"Yeah Windy, we'll tackle those brats tomorrow, see you two later, we'll meet at our place, see you around guys." Farbod said as he and his sister recalled their Pokemon and ran towards their home, leaving Bahadur and Ruchika alone. After a few minutes of silence between the two of them Bahadur decided to break the silence.

"So thanks for the help you and the others gave me." Bahadur said as he scratched his head as he looked away from her with a blush on his face. Ruchika looked at him before she blushed and turned her head away from him.

"You're a friend to us all, when Etana and her brother came across me and said that the Rat was up to his usual tricks I knew I had to help. And I realized you would end at the training field since you gave me the same tour when I moved here a few months ago, so we bear feet to the bridge." Ruchika said as they walked toward the residential district. Eventual they stopped at an intersection and just stood there for a few minutes/

"So I'm over here and you're over there, I guess we'll meet at the twins place tomorrow to decide what to do." Bahadur said as he started to walk toward his home. Ruchika looked conflicted for a second before she decided to do something.

"Wait a second." Ruchika said as she darted after him and grabbed his arm.

"Yes…" Bahadur trailed off when Ruchika darted forward and gave him a kiss on the check.

"Goodnight Bahadur." Ruchika said with a blushed before she ran off toward her home.

Bahadur just stood there and rubbed the check she kissed for a few seconds and didn't move until she was out of sight.

"Yes!" He said quietly with a goofy grin on his face as he threw an arm up and ran toward his family's house, his Magby by his side as he ran. He didn't notice a 3 foot tall black bird with no beck and a single ruby in the center of its head had watched the kiss and flew off when he went to his home, not noticing the spy.

"…And that's it my Lord. The shoreline patrol has discovered nothing and lookout ships have seen nothing like what the specimens retrieved. Giving where the things were discovered I personally think we should keep up the new actions for at least a few more months at the least. I heard Lady Joy is trying to find out where the corpse were born and if that can be found a team could be inserted to try and track down the maker." A blond man with green eyes in black full plate armor said as he gestured to a holographic map of their lands.

"What composition of the team would you suggest Mordred?" Dracula said as he sat upon his throne as his inner court stood around the room.

"I would prefer to wait and see what Joy discovers, the location would affect what team and the tactical situation on the ground is first." Mordred said as he looked at his master.

"Thank you for the report Knight Commander, and finally Magnus, what have you discovered about the problem to return my son and Queen to our shores?" Magnus winced at the hope in his friend's voice; this was going to be bad.

"On the subject of my Nephew, he has three chains of seals on him." Magnus started, stopping when he felt Dracula's Aura spike and pressure start as he saw cracks form on the arms of his throne.

"One has started to be destroyed, the result of an Aura surge during a life threatening event he was involved with, it was to restrict his emotional maturity. Another is holding back his ability to use Aura, and the final one I am unsure of, but I think part is holding back his heritage as your son." Magnus said as he braced himself as the others around the room did the same.

The eruption of Aura from their master destroyed his throne as he stood up, a piece of it flew by Magnus and cut his right check. Given the reaction he had when they were first taken and the fact that the anniversary is almost here, it was better than he feared.

"And Delia? What has been used on her." Dracula said as his eyes started to glow black as the pressure seemed to increase.

"I have identified two sets on her. One holds back all her memories of the Homeland. And I don't understand the last one, but her abilities are fighting back against them. If our agents in Pallet could find a way to cut on seal, I think over a year she would destroy them on her own. Then we would just need to spark her memories and she would be as she once was." Magnus said as Dracula walked to stare at the painting of him and Delia. He just stood there, thinking before he finally came to a decision.

"Camila, you are to send a courier to join the team, a strong trainer, one who could be inserted into their cover easily. Someone skilled in battle able to hold their own, and could get Delia out of danger in a hurry. Magnus, spare no resource in finding out what the seals are, even check the Forbidden Archives if you must." Dracula commanded

"I will need a few days to go over who to send my lord, but it will be done." Camilla said with a curtsey as Magnus bowed.

"By my oath my lord, I will find out what we need to know to get my sister home, I will use anything and anyone I must." Magnus promised as the briefing ended.

Albia put her backpack down on the bed in the room Delia had said she could use. When Delia had heard that she had been staying at the Center she had called Joy and cursed her out for a few minutes for not telling her where her new hire was staying. She had been infuriated that Joy had let the girl stay there without letting Delia know about it. Albia just looked around the room and was soon lost in her thoughts. _A whole room for myself, I've never ever had a place just for me back at the orphanage. Maybe I can make a home for myself here after all._

"Well welcome to Casa de Ketchum, we hope you enjoy your stay." A voice broke Albia out of her thoughts and she saw Delia watching her with a small smile on her face.

"I can't thank you enough for letting me stay here Ms. Ketchum, really I can't." Albia said as she looked at her boss.

"Don't worry about it, I can tell you're a good kid no matter what your running from, and yes I know that you're running form something." Delia said as she met Albia's eyes, only for the younger girl to look away. Delia looked at her and sighed.

"The only thing I **need** you to tell me is if you think you lost what was after you." Delia said and was met with a nod from Albia. Delia smiled at that, if Albia trusted her enough to tell her that then there was hop that she would trust Delia enough to tell her story when she was ready.

"Well then I'm making pizza, do you want any toppings on it?" Delia said as she grabbed Albia's hand and pulled her toward the kitchen.

"No, I prefer plain pizza to tell the truth." Albia said as they walked toward the kitchen.

"Well the kitchen is over here on the ground floor, the laundry room is in the basement and my room is up there on the second floor with my son's room." Delia told her as they walked.

"This place started to feel empty when Ash started to travel, even when Mimmy came it's still pretty lonely at night and during the bad winters being so far out of town so having others here is kind of nice. And please Albia, call me Delia." Delia said with smile as she opened the door to the kitchen.

"Still, thanks again for letting us stay with you and Mimmy, Ms. Ket… Delia." Albia said as she smiled before walking into the kitchen, Delia following behind her.

"Like I said I appreciate the company. Now the dishes for Pokémon in that cabinet there and the Pokémon Pellets are in that cabinet." Delia said as she moved about the room, Albia following in her wake like when Delia had shown her the kitchen in Pallet House.

Later after Delia and Albia were done eating, Albia had offered to do the dishes and her Pinser was finishing up its own meal. The Mr. Mime that Delia had sent looks at Albia when the humans were looking at the TV or each other in a way that Pinser didn't like. Flaaffy was standing by its trainer, having picked up that its teammate didn't trust the Fairy type for some reason and shared a look with the Bug, come nightfall they would be ready if it tried anything.

A boy with brown grey hair in a blue karate gi block a Lucario with a scar on its left check punch with an open fist and grabbed its arm with his other hand and threw the Steel type down the field, as soon as he let go he shot after it and drew back a fist that started to glow blue. The Lucario rolled when it hit the floor and jumped to the side when it got back to its feet, dodging the boy's fist which hit the ground and formed a small crater, sending shards flying from the point his fist hit the ground. The Lucario threw a kick at him which he blocked with a gauntlet on his right forarm before he shot forward with his left arm hitting below the Lucario chest spike.

"That's enough you two! Cameron that was a good use of your Aura to power that punch and on the shoulder throw, and Lucario good recovery, but next time try to dodge backwards, not to the sides." A voice called out and both human and Pokémon stopped, drew back and bowed to each other.

"You sure master, I think me and my partner here can go a bit longer today." Cameron said with a smirk on his face as he looked as he looked toward the voice. A figure in a blue gi walked next to a strong looking Lucario wearing a bracelet with a stone in it. As the Lucario that had spared with Cameron bowed to its elder the man reached and patted Cameron on his shoulder.

"I'm proud of you Cameron, since I found you last year you've learned how to use your Aura and understood the philosophy of our order faster than I did when I was in training." He praised his student who blushed and looked away.

"Aahh, Master Riley, don't say that, you'll give me a big head." Cameron said in embarrassment, prompting a laugh from his teacher.

"Come on, the stew should be ready so come on." Riley said as he walked back towards their home. Riley had found Carmon a few months ago when he had come across the boy and his team battling a particular tough Dark type Chimera. Cameron's weapon, a hammer had been broken and before Riley could attack with an Aura Art Cameron had struck the Chimera with an unfocused Aura Punch that rocked it back and stunned it long enough for Riley to get behind and cut its head off. Riley and his team had gotten Cameron and his team to safety and he had told him about the Power of Aura, of the Aura Guardians. He had offered Cameron a chance to train as a Guardian and the boy had jumped at it, he had even said he had been looking for a purpose for his life. And the boy had flourished; he had taken to the teachings like he had been born for them.

Riley smiled as they entered the base built in the southeastern section of Mt. Coronet near Oreburgh City. The Aura Guardians had set this place up back when the order was more numerous but when they were attacked fifty years ago; a lot of Guardians and their families had died, his master had been the only survivor, escaping to this place were copies of most of the knowledge they held, training mostly with a bit of the order's history. He knew the knowledge was missing something important but he had no idea what.

Heading toward the kitchen he passed one of the chambers holding relics, he was so deep in thought that he needed a minute to notice that his student and their Pokémon weren't following him.

"Master isn't a blinking light in this room a sign a Seal was broken?" Cameron said hoarsely as he stared into the room, the words caused Riley to pale and dash to the doorway, looking into the room and saw the flashing light illuminate the darkness. Walking into the room he reached a shelf and picked up a small pyramid and feed some of his aura into it, which lite up with the same four symbols on all sides. He frowned as he read the symbols; 'horde, spore, pain, plague', these was going to be a problem.

"Well sensei? Does it say where the seal is?" Cameron asked from the doorway.

"The only thing the symbols do is to describe what was sealed; and one of the words used is 'horde' which is going to be a problem. Sadly I think the knowledge about where the seal is was lost during the attack." Riley said to his apprentice with a sigh.

"Damn those scum! What the fuck were they thinking, attacking the Aura Guardians!? We stay out conflicts between regions; we only attack Chimera and criminals who are a danger to humans or Pokémon! What reason could they have had to do it?!" Cameron said with rage as he punched the wall in anger.

"If I knew who was behind the attack I would question them very severely about it." Riley said as he scowled at the memories of finding the old headquarters in ruins, the corpses and how his teacher had passed on before passing him directions to this place and warning him about "Those who hide in the Light", he still didn't know who they were but he had tried.

"Come on student, let's eat our dinner and I'll plan what to do after." Riley said as he led his student and their Pokémon towards the bases dining room/ ketchen.

Shadow reached the outskirts of Lavender Town as the sun started to set and moved through the slums by jumping from building to building until he reached a building overlooking a ruined staircase going into the earth. Outside stairs was a heavily muscular man next to a Machamp with sunglass and iron knuckles in each of its hands. As Shadow dropped the Machamp looked at him and nudged the man next to it. The man looked at shadow and reached for his pocket slowly as he looked at Shadow as he walked toward the stairs.

"Hey man I don't want any trouble ya hear me." The Bouncer said to Shadow as the Machamp started to pose. Shadow didn't break his stride and when he was right before the stairs he stopped. The Bouncer had a knife half drawn and looked at him with a concern, was this a raid?

"In Shadow and Darkness does the real money Flow." Shadow said before he walked past the Bouncer who relaxed at the password Shadow had given. He sent a small frown at the Machamp and was met with a confident smirk in return.

"Hey, next time come here on the ground so I can see ya sooner, ya hear me Merc?" The Bouncer called down to Shadow who walked into the Den; Ghost Station. When he reached the bottom he walked to a wall at the end of a small hallway and opened a door, entering a saloon full of rough looking trainers of both genders, a few Team Rocket grunts sat around a table playing poker and a few women dressed in tube tops and short skirts grouped near an open doorway along one of the walls, a TV behind the bar with a man with slick black hair in a bartender's uniform watching it with a Granbull, both of their backs to the doorway.

The noise dropped when one of the people facing the doorway fell out of his chair causing people to turn and some to go pale and caused everyone there to slowly reach for their Pokéballs or weapons until the man behind the counter slammed his hand against the bar.

"I don't need to remind anyone here that any violence not in self-defense results in being banned from this Den and its services for a year, do I?" His gruff voice cut through the tension like a knife through butter.

"But it's Shadow! He's one of the strongest bounty hunters out there! We have to strike first to even have a chance to keep walking free…" One of the Rocket grunts choked out before Shadow raised both his hands, each empty.

"Not here on a hunt, I'm here for information. I acknowledge and respect the neutrality of the Dens." Shadow cut in as he walked towards the bar.

"See you idiots; he's here to use the Den. Granbull watch the bar, you, Shadow? Come with me." The man said as he got walked toward a door next to the bar and entered an office with a large mainframe, a computer on the desk behind which the man sat.

"Information, so what is it you're after. Chimera bounties, a new Black Lister came out near Pewter, normal bounty, got a new one near Dark City; the Yaz expelled a student who tried a coup, might get something for him if the League wants to know any Yaz secrets." The man began before Shadow put his hand on the table.

"Karen of the Elite Four, I need everything you have on her Joey." Shadow said as his face locked on the man's who went still.

"Karen of the Elite, what's brought her to your attention? People who enter the League usually have everything known about them from where they went to school to what they ate the day they left home as a trainer. And to the public she is a friend to all worthwhile charities, someone who helps the helpless and a patron of those who hunt Chimera. But…" Joey trailed off as he started to look sheepish.

"Joey, but what?" Shadow said as he crossed his arms.

"She's a specter. She came out of nowhere and went through the gyms like a bullet, she moved faster than she could with the help of any Pokémon she's known to have or with a boat or car and qualified for the league within the last month before the tournament for a new member of the Elites." Joey said with a sigh as he leaned back.

"So do the Dens have anything not available to the public?" Shadow questioned as Joey found Shadow's masked and leaned forward.

"Just a few observations we've made. Her team is interesting, at least according to my bro in Viridian. He thinks her team's compositing is telling, her Murkrow isn't evolved but her Vileplum is, which is surprising since both need a stone to do so and she's supposedly a Dark type specialist and then there's her vocabulary, she uses some phasing that is from Unova so she spent a lot of time in the more populated areas there. She knows people consider her a beauty and knows how to use it, so she grew up around people not related to her, so she wasn't homeschooled but there no school records with her name on it anywhere in Unova." Joey said as he scratched his chin.

"Would he have anything you don't know, in his private files?" Shadow inquired, causing Joey to stare at him. The private files were unique to each Den, and to get at them was as unique as the Dens themselves, sometimes the trouble wasn't worth the effort.

"Anything you want you'll have to trade for, and he only accepts info about the target you want on. So if you have anything we don't know about her, I'm afraid that _that_ is the only way he'd let you into his files." Joey finished before Shadow nodded at him and turned and walked to the door, stopping before it.

"Let your brother know I'm coming to talk with him, that I have a photo that proves Karen isn't all her public persona shows her to be." Shadow said as he opened the door, Joey standing up sending his chair scrapping back.

"You know something about her we don't!?" Joey cried out in shock, not caring that his voice carried through the room. Shadow merely waved his hand before he left the office. As he walked through the bar to the door the TV was finishing the nightly news.

"…And now an announcement form the Pokémon Center in Viridian City for all towns, homesteads or travelers in the Hurricanes path, keep your Pokémon in their balls tonight or close your windows if your indoors. A wind born epidemic has hit the Viridian area that started either early this morning or late last night, affecting all Pokémon. Be advised that all Pokémon types are affected by this and if your Pokémon seems to be in pain call the or take them to the nearest Pokémon Center. Coming up the play season for the Celadon Theater has been announced, what will they perform on opening day?" Shadow stop at the door when Viridian City was mentioned, leaving the bar once the report was done, not noticing someone had noticed and figured out why he had stopped.

A man with a beard all over his face in a torn shirt and pants sat in the corner finishing up his food and got up after Shadow had been gone for an hour, leaving just before Joey came back to start to close up for the night. He shot the Bouncer a wave as he walked out of the underground, stumbling and leaning against one of the buildings before stumbling off. After a while he left the area where the Bouncer could see him, started to walk normally and a Croagunk wearing a high tech-collar holding a folded dark brown overcoat dropped down and walked next to him, handing over the overcoat.

"Shadow left the city already? And he's after a woman." The man muttered as he ripped his beard from his face, revealing a clean shaving face and brown eyes. Seeing his Pokémon nod at his question he sighed as he put his coat on and closed it, covering up the rips and walked toward the main part of town.

"I think we should head to our room and depart in the morning; it's going to take a while to get to Viridian from here with that hurricane coming in." He said as he and his partner walked toward the Center.

"…Theater has been announced, what will they perform on opening day?" Riley turned off the TV and turned to his student with a bitter smile. So he was going to Kanto.

"Well' it seems I know where to I need to go." Riley said as he walked toward a phone on a table.

"What's this 'I' Sensei? If you think I'm letting you go alone your so slow a Slowbro will evolve before you think something else." Cameron said as he came back into the room with an ancient looking tome.

"And like one of our predecessor wrote, don't fight a Fire Chimera without a Water Type. So let's find out which seal is busted and what they did to fight it and seal it away." Cameron said as he put the book onto their table as their Pokemon came into room carrying the soup they would have for dinner. Riley just shook his head and walked over towards the table and started to look over the entries, each one a threat the Aura Guardians had forced behind seals, wondering what was threating Kanto and if they would be able to handle it alone.

As the full moon rose in the dark of the night illuminating the desert, the five red cloaks of the Bloody Maulers members were obvious as they dashed over the sands. Their boss had ordered them to do a circlet of the area then head back if they didn't find their targets before they reached the bridge he had walked off muttering about getting a way to communicate better. They passed a pack of Cacnea coming back from the river, and saw a flock of Doduo led by a Dodrio head toward the front of the town. The mission leader merely looked an out over the sands as they ran, their Equipment letting them move as easily over the loose sands as he scowled, their boss vendetta against Bahadur was against all reason.

"Leader, we're almost back to the bridge so maybe they doubled back when they got out of our sight?" One of the grunts said, he ignored them, the grunt was probably right but they had to get to the bridge and then they would be able to go home and sleep. Coming to a decision he signaled his team to slow down and turned and

"Okay gents, the targets are probably in their homes in their beds; so let's make hast to the nearest bridge back into town and tell anyone who asks that we couldn't find them and…." The leader began before he was interrupted.

"Is that them over there? Over by that abandoned lookout hut near the hills?" One of the grunts asked as he pointed toward a nearby lookout hut, turning rapidly the leader saw a form in the shade cast by said lookout hut on top of a nearby dune. Signaling his team to follow him, they moved silently toward another dune to get a better view of what was in the shadow. Lying down on the sand they were able to get a better view and saw that the figure was taller than any of their targets.

"It's just one, and the figure is wrong, it's not them. Still any tribute we could bring back to the boss might make his night, what say you gents?" His question was met with grins as the others around him started to chuckle.

"One of you stay back and hide in case this one's too strong and beats us, you two of you hit 'em from behind after me and this one hits him from the front. And remember, all but the hider release you Pokémon." He said as he released his Pokémon, a Machop as the rest released their Pokemon; a Cubone, and two Stunky as he led one of them toward the lookout hut. When the two of them and their Pokémon were within ten feet of the shadow he decided to call out to their target.

"Okay bloke here's how it's gonna be, you drop your valuables you got and run back to town, move fast and we might not take any of your Pokémon." He sneered as he and his men moved to attack. The figure in the shadow said nothing as the gangers stated to get angry at the silence from their victim.

"I said drop your valuables NOW! A wiseguy hu, Machop; fire a Focus Blast at the punk!" His Machop cupped its hands and formed a sparking light yellow orb of energy and shot it at their victim. Before the sphere hit its target the figure raised a hand and a brown energy blast destroyed the sphere.

"An Auralist?" He stammered as he and his team drew their weapons, cutlass as they moved apart from each other, their Pokemon taking point before them. The Cubone had taken a step forward before a golden rope flashed out and wrapped around it, and before it could start to struggle a brown glow formed around it and was drained into the rope, drawing a cry of pain that ended with it limp in the rope before the rope uncoiled and dropped the Pokémon to the ground.

"What the hell, what did that thing do to my Cubone?!" One of the Maulers's cried in shock as he stared, so caught up that he didn't notice another golden rope shoot out and wrap around him. As soon as it wrapped around him a blue glow formed and drained away, so fast he couldn't even cry out in pain.

"What the Fuck!" One of the Stunky trainers said as the gangers backed away from the outpost in horror.

"I thought all the Devourers and the lore about their training were destroyed years ago!?" A voice croaked out in terror as the Leader starred in horror at what they had run into, a horror that parents used to scare kids to behave, this just couldn't be real.

"This can't be happening man, this can't be happening!" He spared a glance at one of others who looked like he was having a nervous breakdown. He needed to find a way to either get his people away from here or pull off a win soon.

"Pull yourselves back together! We got to buy some time, poison the fucker!" The Leader ordered as his Machop

"Got it Leader, Stunky use Poison Gas." The Maulers who had managed to keep calm while being terrified ordered his Poison type which released a green fog from its mouth at the figure which was quickly engulfed in the fog. The trainers grinned; even a Drainer would be affected, unless it had eaten a Poison Pokémon.

"Good work; shoot a Focus Blast at the fog Machop!" The Leader command his Pokemon, who sent a blue sphere which caused an explosion that engulfed the figure and the hut.

"That had to have gotten the bastard leader! Nothing living would have…" The Maulers member trailed off as the fire from the explosion caused the figure to be revealed. The figure that was revealed wasn't human at all, nor was it a Pokémon. It was a golem 5 feet tall humanoid figure made of a golden stone with blocky limbs, the ropes that had drained the were but two of eight on the arms of the golem that moved back and forth like they were alive. On its chests were 20 clear stones, two were lite up, one brown and the other blue. Its face had two blue gems for eyes and a painted frown.

"What is this thing?" The trainer who had started to lose it started to back away before two of the golden ropes wrapped around him and his Pokémon and drained them of the outline that appeared, the golem's chest gaining a blue and purple glow from two of the clear gems.

"Machop, fire another Focus Blast! We have to force it back!" The leader cried out as his Machop formed a blue sphere between its hands and thrust its hands at the golem.

"Back'em up Stunky; fire a Toxic at the thing!" The remaining Stunky shot a purple liquid from its mouth from the golem's other side. The golem raised its hands to catch both attacks and while the Focus Blast was drained away, the Toxic melted the arm to the elbow.

"We have a chance, we….." The ganger trailed of when the arm flashed brown and its arm was regenerated before their eyes. He just stood there before two of the golden ropes wrapped around both him and his Pokémon, draining them of the glow that formed around them. While that was happening he noticed that the golem's chest didn't have a brown glow on its chest. _It's using the drained Aura to heal itself, maybe I have a chance._

"The gems on its chest, that's where it keeps the Aura it steals, aim for its dammed chest!" The leader called out before a rope wrapped around his Mahop, causing a ruby glow to form before it was drained away. He had a bare second to think about it before a golden rope coiled around him and drained him of a blue glow. The golem scanned the area before it started to walk off into the night away from the town, farther into the unexplored area.

The lookout had stared in total shock at the battle that erupted before his eyes, total shock that four trainers and four Pokémon had been defeated by a golem so fast. He heard a noise behind him and saw lights over the river in town; people had seen the explosion and were coming to investigate. He moved towards his comrades, he had to get rid of their cloaks; they would be a few friends out for an evening run, not members of the Bloody Maulers. And he could blame it on the Cacnea they had seen, a Leech Seed did the same damage as that golem's ropes did so he might be able to sell it. He was in such a hurry that he never noticed black bird like shadow against the moon had been watching them since they had confronted Bahadur, a silent observer that had seen the whole battle.

Mr. Mime walked through the house silently, a frown on its faces as it thought about how it would have to deal with having another person in the house. When that woman's brat was around it had to act the part of a happy house keeper, with him gone a simple command and she did the house work and treated it like a king when they were alone. Now a new trainer was here he was back to being a servant, he was looking forward to the seeing the tainted bitch in her proper place again. He walked to the phone and dialed his trainer's number quickly; she had to know about the girl.

"Delia what is it? Why did you call so late?" Ginny's voice asked worriedly when someone answered the phone.

"Mime mime mime" Mr. Mime answered

"Mime, what the fuck is the matter, what happened…oh no, that bleeding heart took someone in again didn't she?" Ginny snarled as her voice turned vicious.

"Mime." Mr. Mime said as he nodded.

"That new girl, right? The wanna be cook. Start to carry a recorder with you and drop it at the exchange point behind the house when you water the berries. Act like a fucking servant, don't do anything that would let the brat figure out anything about you, got it?! Now let me sleep you stupid Fairy." Ginny said before she slammed down her phone. Mr. Mime just looked at phone with a scowl and marched back toward where it slept, so much for that.

He was in such a state that he didn't notice that one of the girl's Pokemon hiding in the kitchen stand up and look toward the phone, a hard look on its brown face. It looks like that bitch Oak was involved with Delia's blackouts and was the one who really controlled the Fairy Type. Looking down at a recorder Flaaffy had giving it, it had to play it back for its trainer tomorrow, and let Amanda hear this too.

 **Trial of the Blade** : Homeland term for the Defense Treaty, a test to prove they have mastered the use of their chosen weapon

 **Homunculus** : Creation made by Alchemy which can be design to any shape, though a basic limit of 10 feet tall, controllable by artifact in shape of anything from a ring to a statue, limit of ten per control artifact

 **Alchemy** : Aura Practice of infusing Aura into chemical mixtures and molds to create potions or Homunculus

 **Devourer** : Forbidden Style of Auralists; drains others of Aura to power their abilities, higher tiers need to kill others to advanced their abilities, and kill Pokémon to gain their element. Has become a horror story for the Homeland


	8. Chapter 8

Sorry it took so long, I've had a few problems with RL. And I reread my last chapter and changed a few things to make it flow better. And finally, for the money I'm going by Pokémon dollars from the game IE a shirt would cost 2,000 so Star quests level is going to be a bit screwy until I get a better handle on it. and I'm reclassifying this as a fusion so its under the regular category on Fanfiction so enjoy and my goal is to publish the next chapter before the month is out or the 1st weekend of next month

Harley followed after Xion and Mohawk as he smirked. This was what he needed, some flunkies to do his dirty work. They wanted to teach Ash's new friend her place, he wanted that girl who got him disqualified out of the circuit, he was sure they could help each other out. Since they had left the contest hall they had quickly moved towards the outer limits of the City, entering a place goodie two shoes wouldn't travel. As they walked Harley saw women in low cut clothes and wearing heavy makeup become more common, but he noticed a man in a light green jacket was always watching them, sometimes they would notice the trio walking and look in fear at Xion. _Looks like I chose the perfect pawn after all. The finals might be a bit boring without Ash in it but oh well, that's the way the cookie crumbles._

Finally they came to a rundown opera house where many trainers both male and female in light green jackets were milling about. When they saw Xion some cried out greetings but most bowed or saluted him. Harley saw the reactions to him and he started to worry about who he had chosen to use as a cat's-paw. He was led into a fouir and as soon as he walked through the doors two halberds with green gems in the axe head were crossed in front of him. He saw that they were held by two men in the same jackets as the people outside with black bandanas around their necks.

"So who's the outsider Xion?" A grave voice rasped from the far right. Harley's turned and saw a figure with bandages around his head, a tuff of white hair over his eyes dressed in dark cloths and a black bandana around his neck and in a dark coat.

"Merely someone who has some information about someone I trying to beat the gym. Let us pass, now." Xion said imperiously as he looked at the bandaged man. After a few seconds he nodded and the halberds were removed and the party of three walked through the lobby towards a double door.

"So whose mummy-boy?" Harley inquired as he started to finger a Pokéball as

"No one you need to know about, just tell what you promised and you **might** get through this with your skin intact." Mohawk said as he turned and glared at the Coordinator who smiled back. _I think these guys are more than just a gang, I might have bitten off more than I could handle._

He was lead into a chamber full of noise; the gallery was setup with many tables before a stage with a thrown set up. Around the room were many girls in provocative cloths and makeup moving about, some by male trainers in green jackets and some carrying trays. The other two didn't even stop, leading Harley towards the stage and when they passed one of the girls with her pink hair in rings Harley noticed her eyes were blank, as if nothing was behind them. When the people around the tables noticed the party they went quiet and pointed towards him. On the thrown was a man a few years older with brown hair wearing a golden crown, a light green cloak over a green tunic and black pants. Leaning against the throne was a woman his age with her brown hair in a twin tale style wearing a black corset and tight leather pants, a stern look in her glacier blue eyes. She noticed the noise level dying and turned toward the gallery and frowned when she saw Harley. The man on the throne looked and gained a glare on his face when he saw the party moved towards the stage and sneered at Xion.

"Well brother you lost in the final round. How was the losers circle?" The man with the crown inquired as he stared form the throne.

"Don't bother our Xion that much about his loss brother Rex, I'm sure he's doing enough of that all on his own, but who is this one he brought before us." The woman said with a throaty pure as she looked at Harley and licked her lips.

"The person who beat you wasn't even from our town! But she had strong Pokémon and has a nice figure; she might be worth something after she's taught to respect her betters. I already sent some of our soldiers after both her and the other one." Rex said with a sneer on his face. Xion had a look of disgust on his face

"Fine, but the bitch that beat me is friends with someone trying to beat the gym, I thought maybe dear sister Rebecca might like to beat him and take his Pokémon, and this one knows something about the punk." Xion said gesturing to Harley as Rebecca pouted at what she heard.

"Another no name trainer to beat? Please, their always so tedious little brother. What's the brat's name anyway?" She inquired as she closed her eyes.

"Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town." Harley's words caused her eye's to snap open and to perk up.

"Really?! HIM?! Oh this is great, to finally match my skills with an opponent worth of my time! This is great!" Rebecca cheered as she started to jump around the stage to the confusion of the people watching her.

"You know him?" Harley asked as he slowly reached for one of his Pokéballs as he looked around the room as he slowly moved away from the stage. _Given what I've seen in here I think it's time to beat a hasty retreat._

"Yes, is this outlander important or something?" Rex demanded as everyone paid attention to Rebecca and were ignoring him, giving Harley some time to move farther from the stage.

"Oh I've been following his career since the Silver Conference, he has a habit of trying the league he's challenging only with Pokemon he caught with that League's territory besides his starter. With this probably being his first gym I might be able to beat him." Rebecca said absently as she started to think about her battle against Ash. At the words Morhawk chuckled and turned to Xion with a smirk on his face.

"So we don't need, what the hell, where is he?" Morhawk words caused Xion to turn and notice Harley was standing with his hands on a Wigglytuff.

"I can see where this is going, I guess my plans to use you against the bitch was made in hast, so I guess I'll see you on the circuit Xiony." Harley said before he and his Pokémon both glowed white and they vanished from sight. Rex looked at the sport before he started to go red and gritted his teeth in his anger. Xion merely gave off a short chuckle at what had happened.

"So he had an escape planned in advanced to get away from trying to use us, I knew I liked him for a reason." Xion said with a smirk on his face, his words caused Rex to exploded with a roar.

"GET ME DAMAIN NOW! That bastard is to be found and brought before me! Xion, you are to leave the city tomorrow morning with your minions! Don't come back until the Grand Festival ends one way or another!" Rex said as he locked eyes with Xion who merely nodded and walked off with Mohawk following after him.

"What about Ash brother, I still want him." Rebecca said with a pout as her brother left the throne. The doors to the lobby opened and the man wrapped in bandages walked passed Xion on his way to the stage. He bowed and stayed that way until Rex acknowledged him.

"For now he's not a problem, so we'll leave him alone. Damian, I have a bounty to set, on one who made a fool of us."

Brock ran from the Pokémon Center, glad he had taken the time to call home and asked for his Pokémon back, he would need them for the expedition. Now all that he needed was for Giovanni not to have left the gym for the day. When he entered the gym he moved away from the public areas and head straight for the office, he had to talk to Giovanni tonight, he just couldn't let it wait. He breath a small sigh of relief when he saw that Giovanni's secretary was still there, Giovanni never let anyone stay when he wasn't there, the onetime Brock was glad that the leader of the Viridian Gym was so paranoid. The woman had blue hair in a bun and he saw she had on purple lipstick and her glasses made her blue eyes stand out.

"Dr. Brock. What brings you to the Viridian Gym so late, I'm sorry but Mr. Giovanni is in a meeting and giving the time will most likely be leaving for the night once it's done." She said as she looked up.

"Giovanni is in there, right? Don't get up, I'll let myself in." Brock said and moved past her before the secretary could stop him but a second later she walked after him.

"Sir, as I said the Gym Leader is in a meeting!" Her voice cried out behind him as he reached the door.

"Then I'll join it!" He shot back as he opened the door, feeling her put her hand on his shoulder and start to pull at him. The large office was just like the last time he had been there, Giovanni was standing by the windows and by the desk was the silvery-blue haired figure of Karin of the Elite four, both turned their heads when they heard his voice, Karin looked confused over who he was but Giovanni had the looked like he had total control as usual, although Brock thought he detected a question in his eyes.

"It's alright Miranda; the doctor must have important business to discus with me to act so." Giovanni said as he gestured to his secretary to go back to her desk.

"Doctor, Giovanni? I don't think that I've meet this person before." Karin said as he noticed her observing him like a Meowth who had sighted a tasty looking rat.

"Miss Karin, allow me to introducing you to Brock of Pewter City, former Gym Leader and aspiring Pokémon Doctor studying at the local Pokémon Center. And given what he just did he has something important to talk to me about." Giovanni said as Brock bowed as he was introduced.

"I am sorry I barged in like this Giovanni, but it's an emergency. Giving what I need to talk to you about, it's probably a good thing that Karin is here, given her stance on Chimeras." Brock said causing Karin to jolt and Giovanni's eyes to narrow.

"Chimeras… Does this have anything to do with all of the… events that happened at the hospital today?" Giovanni asked as Karin turned to him.

"Events?" Karin asked flatly as her eyes narrowed.

"Since around eight o'clock this morning the Center was swamped with cases of Pokémon in deliberating pain. We were able to identify the infection vector as a windborne spore, further investigation showed that the spore had animal-plant hybrid proteins, and I've encountered a Chimera that used spores like this to hunt in the past." Brock said grimly as Karin started to pale.

"Windborne? There's a hurricane coming up the coast! If the spores survive that they could affect half the region!" Karin exploded as Giovanni frowned.

"And the League wouldn't do anything about it without proof." He said as Karin started to bristle.

"I know I've found that there are some idiots in the League since I joined the Elite Four, but with a threat like that doubled by a natural disaster?" Karin said in disbelief. Giovanni just shook his head as he slumped against the window.

"The Pokemon League in both Kanto and Johto are rife with hardheads that will do anything to keep a panic down, even when the public should panic. If there is a single chance that people are wrong about anything, they won't act. A rumor I heard once was that they had to bring back physical proof during the Fifteenth Siege and even then the Gyms still had to act on their own authority." Brock said as he closed his eyes in pain.

"Rumor nothing; we did have to organize the raid on our own, they were all talking about defending, that all that was found was a staging area. Chimera with a staging area, I mean really! And the only thing those fools did was tell the public that they had everything under control while **we** did all the work and paid the butcher bill. But on another topic could this be connected to the hunt that brought you to my city? " Giovanni asked as he looked at Karin who just stared back at him before she shook her head.

"Maybe, but the beast I was after was an Electric one; it showed no Grass Type abilities of any kind. But it might have been saving them, we might have been downwind of it buts that's not important now. I'm here and able, what do you need from me Doctor?" Karin asked as she turned to look at Brock.

"Like Giovanni said, we need proof. I'm going up into those mountains, alone if I have to. I originally came to ask for any Gym Trainers but with you here Karin any help would you can provide would be appreciated." Brock explained as he gave her a bow.

"I don't know about Giovanni but I'll be glad to help. Just give me until noon tomorrow; I'll need to the time to call some League Hunters from my hunt that I know are still in the city." Karin said. Giovanni eyes narrowed for a few seconds, a reaction that both Brock and Karin missed.

"The Viridian Gym is always ready and able to meet any threats to its city. All the trainers who study here left for the day, give me until noon and I'll be able to send at least two of them and the rest will be on guard if anything happens." Giovanni promised as he led them towards the door.

"Thank you Giovanni, you and the Gym do so much for the city; I don't know what the city would do without you and yours." Brock said as he shook Giovanni's hand as Karin left the office before him, but after she walked a few feet she turned back toward the two of them.

"So then we'll meet at the Center at noon tomorrow, Dr, I wish you a good night's sleep, you'll need it I fear." Karin said with a grim look on her face and was met with a solemn nod from Brock and a narrowed stare from Giovanni.

Giovanni closed his office's door and walked to his window, looking down on Viridian City, his eyes able to pick out Brock running back toward his apartment and Karin looking back at the Gym before she walked toward the hotel she was staying at. Giovanni turned and walked away from the window and moved toward his desk. He sat down and opened his desk, revealing a Pokéball he picked it up and threw it, released a Persian that padded over to him and he reached down and scratched behind its ears.

"Well, that meeting was very informative, even beyond what it's true purpose was my friend. I now know what was so wrong at the Center, I was able to learn something about Karin and I found something that might some of our operations. All in all my friend, a perfect us of my time." He said as looked around his office with a smile before he reached for his phone, activating its intercom.

"Miranda, contact Sham, Butch and Cassidy and have them report for a briefing early in the morning, oh and post a notice that I need to talk with all Trainers studying here. And after that you may finish up any paperwork and leave when you're ready, I'll be working late tonight" Giovanni said as he sat down behind his desk.

"Yes sir and the confirmation for your reservation at the hotel in Celadon City came in earlier before Miss Karin arrived, I thought it would be… inappropriate to let her know of your plans." Miranda said, causing Giovanni to nod his head.

"Well done. And one more thing, contact Silver and tell him that he is to stay at the Indigo Plateau until he's contacted." Giovanni said as an afterthought

"Sir, don't let me think it's my place to how you are to utilize your son, but if he finds out you deliberately kept him out of something, if this has to do with whatever the cause of Brock's visit…." Miranda began before Giovanni interrupted her.

"A possible Chimera attack is underway; I want Silver to stay where he is to monitor anything the League does. Young Brock was here to request the help of the Viridian Gym for an expedition into the mountains to track down. Karin said she'll call some League Hunters who in the city." Giovanni said as he heard Miranda's chair move through his phone as she stood up.

"I'm sorry sir, but Karin said she'll call League Hunters who are in the city?! All the League Hunters that came into the City **with** her departed earlier tonight! Their heading toward Alto Mare to deal with a possible Water Chimera horde! It was a top level command made by the League!" Miranda interjected in total shock.

"Yes, and the only reason we know that is because we have a tap in the League's communications, a normal Gym Leader or Doctor wouldn't know that. But that information tells us that the Hunters don't come from the League, which given her polices on independents is interesting. That means that she has an alternate source of followers that we don't know about. A piece of information that has an impact on any plans that she is a factor in. But more worrying is that such a degree for mobilization went through the League so fast." Giovanni mused to himself as he called up all the data he had on the region around Alto Mare, he finally found a report on the activities of two thieves loosely tied to his organization, along with some notes by a certain trio. He had to reread the report trice before he was able to comprehend what was on the report. He leaned back and massaged his forehead as he started to curse. _Why do I have such fools in my employment, why? To use that thing that way, I can't even begin to count how this would have impacted Team Rocket! Did those two fools think the League would sit back and let a city with such a weapon be conquered or seceded?! But maybe there's a way to use the principals involved._

"Miranda contact Dr. Zager and arrange a meeting for tomorrow. Tell him I have a new project to discus with him. " Giovanni said as he turned toward the window as he leaned back in his chair.

"Yes sir. If you don't mind I'll go and have housekeeping ready our overnight rooms, I think we'll need them before too long." Miranda said with a voice that promised she wouldn't leave before he would.

"Thank you Miranda, that's probably for the best. One more thing, I'll need someone to go over the activities of operatives Annie and Oakley before their incaution, try to find if they came across Alto Mare on a job for us, and contact our spy in the justice department, I need to know what prison their in." Giovanni said with a sigh as his Persian purred as it rubbed its head against his legs.

"Of course sir, but given the length of their careers both with us and before we recruited them it might not be possible to find what you're looking for." Miranda said with a sigh.

"Get division R2 to handle the research, have them send it to you and write up a summery for me. The possible Chimera attack takes priority over the report, nothing else is more important." Giovanni said before he turned off his intercom and walked back toward the window. Looking out he saw the lights of Viridian and thought about his past, about the Fifteenth Siege and the horrors of those days.

"If this is the start of the 16th Siege, this time this Gym alone will stop it." Giovanni vowed as he looked over what was his city, and promised to protect it.

Lilith flew swiftly through the air, her wings carrying her toward her destination, confident in her Ghost Walker to keep her from anyone's sight. She had easily left the Center, telling the others that she was heading out for a walk to clear her head. She had declined an offers to join her, saying she preferred to walk alone to do some thinking, saying her walks let her focus and had found an alley to climb up and take flight from, making good time and she was already halfway to the local Gym when she spotted someone moving toward the same destination, Nimue, perfect. Lilith started to glide toward Nimue when she spotted a figure shadowing her. She flew toward a roof and landed, looking down upon the stalker. It was a male figure, wearing a light green jacket and bandana around his head, he seemed to be doing everything he could so that Nimue wouldn't spot him but he was pretty easy for anyone to notice if they tried to or had experience in detecting stalkers. She moved over the rooftops, keeping an eye on both Nimue and the person following her, observing that he never moved closer, falling back when they reached the plaza, but staying in the same position in relation to his target. When she noticed the green jacket look past Nimue, she followed his line of sight and saw another two men wearing the same colored jacket entering the plaza and saw all three move to surround Nimue in a triangle. _Well this is interesting. Are these people from her 'Sisterhood' or are they from a third party? Do I go for a first strike or do I wait to see what they'll do first. Or Nimue will force the issue._ Lilith thought as she noticed Nimue release her Golduck and Samurott, drawing a trident after she did so and turn around to the teen behind her. Lilith's eyes noticed two figures moving toward Nimue in the air and realized her next actions had been forced.

Nimue walked into the plaza where she was to meet Lilly and she noticed that she still had her stalker. Since she had left the Pokémon Center earlier she had been followed as she had moved through the town, she hoped it was just a fan but when he never moved closer and tried to stay at the same distance no matter how fast she moved she was starting to get worried. She noticed two more teens ahead of her in the plaza and decided that enough was enough; she had to force a confrontation. Releasing her Pokemon and drawing her trident, she trusted in them to watch her back as she turned to face the person behind her. She noticed that he was shocked by her actions, maybe she would get out of this

"Well, you've been following me for a few minutes now, were you waiting for your two friends to join you before you comforted me?" She inquired as she clenched her trident as she looked at the figure

"You were in the company of the broad we've got a score to settle with bitch. Ain't your fault but the boss says you're gonna get a new job to pay back your betters. So put that down before you hurt someone and we have to mess up your money maker. And recall those two, wouldn't want to hurt them too bad before they'll sold to someone better." He sneered at her as she went sill before her eyes narrowed. _So these people aren't from my home, and their chauvinists, and a new 'job', I really hope I'm wrong about what that was._ Nimue looked over her shoulder and meet the eyes of her two Pokémon's eyes and gave a small smile when they both gave her a small nod. She turned back to the person sneering at her and narrowed her eyes and spun her trident over her head before bring it down pointing right at him and saw him jolt at the looking in her eyes as she heard her Pokemon growl at the two people behind her.

"I'm gonna go with option two, beat you all down and turn you over to Officer Jenny to short out." Nimue said as she heard her Pokemon start to growl as they faced down the two people behind her. She was surprised when the person before her started to snicker.

"They always say that but we have ways to handle you bitches, we know how to make them do exactly what we want them to do. We train them up right." He leered as his eyes tracked something above her head.

"Mandibuzz, Air Slash!" Lilly's voice cried out from above her before two light blue glowing saw disc-like energy blades shot over her head her and caused an explosion behind her. Nimue turned her head and saw two Venomoths crash to the ground behind.

"Oh Fuck! Who the hell?!." The voice of her stalker caused her to turn and saw a shadowed figure drop from the building behind him as a whip shot out and hit his hand, dropping a Pokéball still in its small form. The figure walked into the light and was revealed to be Lilly, walking out with a confident look on her face that surprised Nimue.

"Now I wouldn't be the broad you were talking about am I?" Lilly purred as she cracked her whip as she pouted as her Mandibuzz hovered behind her. Nimue stared at the appearance she was gave off, gone was the Coordinator, here was a warrior who wasn't afraid to get her hands dirty with blood. Stalker stared in shock over who had dropped down; he looked like he sensed there was something _different_ about her.

"YOU! You're the bitch the boss wants!" One of the two behind Nimue cried out as Lilly just spared him a glance.

"And why should the wants of someone who has minions who use Stun Spores to **take** someone matter at all to me?" Lilly's reply sent a chill down Nimue's spine. Nimue looked at the two Venomoths and noticed that spores from their wings on the ground and went still. _So that's how they were going to 'handle' me. I don't want to think about how many people they've done this to. But these three are going down hard!_ Nimue thought as she snarled and made a choice.

"Golduck and Samurott, both of you, target the Venomoths with an Ice Beam, freeze them to the ground." Nimue commanded her Pokémon, both of them looked at the Bugs on the ground and realized the same as their trainer before both sent light blue beams at the wings of the Venomoths, freezing them to the ground.

Lilith smiled as the others started to curse when they saw what Nimue's Pokémon had done; she was starting to like this girl. But best to handle the immanent problem before they handled each other.

"You bitches always trouble your betters! It's up to men like us to make you act like you should!" Stalker growled as he rubbed his hand where she had struck with her whip.

"And you think your man enough to do that? Nimue, do you think you could handle those two while I handle this **man**? I believe that it should only take a few minutes at most." Lilith asked as she struck out with her whip, but Stalker dropped back and pulled out a hammer and ran at Lilith with a scream, Lilith dodging the blow with a graceful movement.

"Finish fast please; I was never good at mass combat." Nimue said as she looked at the other two teens who released two Yanma, a Heracross and a Paras, the one on the right grew a grin at

"Mandibuzz, sky high and range combat, keep that Paras back!" Lilith commanded. Her Mandibuzz flew above and the battle and started to fire Air Slashes toward the Paras, forcing it and one of the Yanma to dodge as the teen on the Right snarl at being ignored.

"Let's get both bitches for the boss; we won't have to go after that punk kid! Heracross Tackle the Golduck! Yanma, Quick Attack on the Samurott!" The one on the Right called.

"You Idiot, don't act on you own you fool!" Left screamed as Right's Yanma shot at Samurott trailing a white stream behind it while Heracross charged at Golduck

"Golduck, Psychic shield maneuver, Heracross!" Nimue called out. Golduck's eye glowed blue before a Heracross gained a blue outline and was thrown into the path of charging Yanma face first, knocking both out of the sky.

Lilith swung her whip and hit Stalker face, scoring a gash above his right eyes. She saw what Nimue had her Golduck do and added that to their talks, dodging to the right as Stalker brought his hammer down. She frowned as he tried to get her with a horizontal strike _Time to call for help._

"Nimue, close your eyes! Mandibuzz, Sunny Day Flare!" Lilith called out, Nimue and her Pokémon had barley closed their eyes. Mandibuzz formed white orbs at the tips of its wings and sent them upwards, causing a large sphere to form that released a blast of light that lite up the town.

Ash looked out at the city as he sat outside the Pokémon Center, having left Pikachu inside with a bottle of ketchup. He was thinking about his battle at the gym and the message his Pokédex during the Contest, there was a quest with a TM that could help him gain an ace to use against Viola's strategy.

"I never knew that Pikachus liked ketchup that **much**!" Serena's voice caused as to look up to see her smile at him as she walked towards him.

"That's a vice that only Pikachu has. You know, we haven't had a chance to talk like this in years Serena." Ash said as he gave a small smile to her.

"You know I have been following you since you started your journey, I can't believe how far you've gotten in the Pokémon League Conferences you've been in. The top sixteen in Indigo and since then never lower than the top eight! People who have been in the League for years don't have that kind of record." Serena said as she sat down next to Ash.

"I've had a good team for each and every Conference. But how's you mom been, you guys did move to help her career. And how'd Tomboy Rena gain an 'eye for fashion'?" Ash said with a smirk, causing Serena to blush.

"She's been the champion in her sport for a while, she's think about skipping the next season and coming back for the championship races, as for the fashion it became an escape when she started to train me to be a racer a few years after we moved." Serena said as she put her head down.

"Did you ever talk to her about the training she was giving you?" Ash questioned with a frown.

"I couldn't, I knew that if I started I would just start insulting and cursing her about the move, I know that it made sense with the racing circuit closing down in Kanto, but deep down I just. I just missed…Pallet Town for months after the move but I've came to term with it after a while, I met some new friends and I dealt with it. But on a different subject, Lilly shared something that I think my mom might like being the spokeswoman for, a particular blend of tea that was delicious." Serena said as she perked up with a smile.

"I remember how she and my mom loved to have tea while the two of us used to play together back in the day, if it's that good maybe I should order some for my mom." Ash said as he smiled and put his arms behind his head. Serena gained a blush as she saw the figure he gave off with the moonlight shining down on him. _Girl this is your chance to ask him on a date. Don't blow it._

"So Ash, do you…" Serena began before a flash of light blinded her for a minute. Serena blinked as she stumbled and looked around as she regained her eyesight.

"What in the name of Ho-Oh!" Ash cursed as he rubbed his eyes.

"That was so bright, what was that?" Serena asked as she held her eyes. _If someone did that for laughs I'll kill 'em._

"I think you mean where that was Serena. PIKACHU! TO ME. Froakie, Fletchling get high and find anything that looks wrong!" Ash said as he released his two Pokémon. Fletchling flew upwards as Froakie jumped and grabbed Fletchling's legs until it could jump to a street lamp and started to look around as Fletchling flew higher. Pikachu ran out of the center and jumped onto Ash's should, looking ready for a fight.

"ASH! What was that!?" Clemont demanded as he ran out of the Center with Nurse Joy and his sister behind him.

"Not sure where it was yet alone what it was. But I think Fletchling has an idea where it came from." Ash said as Fletchling started to fly away from the Center, Froakie jumping after it.

"Come on!" Ash said as he ran after his Pokémon.

"I'm right behind you! Bonnie stay with Nurse Joy!" Clemont said as he and Serena ran after Ash.

"Clemont!" Bonnie tried to follow but Nurse Joy stopped her. Bonnie turned to look at Joy with tears in her eyes and was meet with a comforting smile from her.

"It's okay, trust in your friends to come back in one piece." Nurse Joy consoled Bonnie as they watch the three trainers run off.

Lilith smirked as she looked at the result of her actions. Right and Left were both blinded, along with their Pokémon. Stalker had reacted and closed his eyes and had fall back to his dropped Pokéball and put it away. Lilith decided to press her advantage while they had one.

"Mandibuzz, while we have an advantage, attack the Paras with Bone Rush!" Lilith cried out as she struck at Stalker with her whip. She spared a glance at the gym and noticed some commotion from it. _Good, I was able to get some people to notice what was going on. The best results are if Ash and the others come looking for answers, never mind Officer Jenny._

Mandibuzz shot straight at the Paras, forming a light green energy bone in its right claw and bashed the Paras as she flew by the Bug type, after which Mandibuzz flew back into the sky. Paras had an eye closed and it looked like it was bleeding a bit, the Yanma tried to keep facing Mandibuzz as it climbed into the sky. Heracross meanwhile had gotten up and charged at Golduck who had met it fist to claws, exchanging punches and kicks while Right's Yanma had gotten back into the air. The two Venomoths were trying to get out of the ice while Left had finally gotten his eye sight back and his eyes went to the gym and cursed when he saw the lights coming on within.

"Yanma, Venomoth, Paras, return!" Left cried out suddenly, three red beams dragging his Pokémon back into their balls.

"What are you doing you idiot!" Stalker roared as he tried to strike Lilith, Right looked between him and Left in confusion.

"This mission was blown the second whip girl showed up! That flare will bring trouble, its best that we escape while we still…." Left began before the Gym's doors flew open with a bang.

"What's going on out here?!" A voice roared from the Gym to reveal the gym leader coming out with her a female trainer with beige colored hair and a kid with brown hair in a blue hoodie.

"Hey, what the Fuck are you Buzz Brats doing here?!" Viola demanded as she looked upon the plaza.

"I told you idiots we had to move, Come Out Scolipede, time to rampage!" Left bellowed as he released a Scolipede with a seat behind its eyes, which as soon as it appeared bent down to let its trainer onto the seat it was wearing. He had already put one of his arms on the seat when…

"Froakie, frubbles on his legs and arm!" Ash's voice called out from the darkness near the Scolipede before three puffy objects hit Left's leg before he could pull it away from the ground. Lilith grinned when she saw Ash lead the others out the darkness, Clemont with his Bunnelby in front of him, Fennakin in Serena's arms, Ash with Pikachu on his should, his Froakie on a street lamp and his Fletchling hovering next to it. _Time for me to finish playing with this one and then handle the other two._ Lilith moved straight at Stalker using the blind spot his wounded gave him to deliver an uppercut that knocked him out, looking up she saw the party from the gym start to release their Pokémon and start to move to back Nimue up.

"WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE LILLY!?" Ash demanded as he looked around, taking in the scene before him. _This feels a lot like what Brock, May, Max and I came across around Route 24, but it better not be for_ _ **their**_ _sakes._ Ash thought as he glared at the trainer and his Scolipede.

"Just a guess, but I think this was a kidnapping by the Buzz Brats, a local gang lead by an expelled gym trainer who are rumored to capture female trainers to 'break' them." Viola said with disgust as she starred down Right. Lilith saw Clemont frown and Serena start to go white in shock at what she heard, but Ash? Ash's head went down and for a minute Lilith thought he didn't understand what Viola said before his head snapped up and he had such a look of rage on his face that Lilith was sure she was looking at his father when he had pronounced sentencing on a child rapist back home.

"Pikachu, THUNDER ON THE SCOLIPEDE!" Ash roared as he released an invisible aura blast that Lilith noticed Nimue started at him. Pikachu jumped straight upwards as Froakie and Fletchling shot for the ground.

"PIKA-CHU!" The Electric type screamed as it gained a yellow glow before a massive bolt of lightning sparked from it and hit the Scolipede, shocking both it and its trainer knocking both of them out.

Right stood alone as his Heracross, Venomoth and Yanma fell back to stand in front of their trainer as he looked around and a crazed look came over his face.

"If any of you brats and bitches think I'll go quietly then you…"

"Thunder Wave, on all four." Ash interrupted in a deadpanned tone before Pikachu sent a Tunder Wave that paralyzed all three of them just as Officer Jenny rolled up on her motorcycle.

"I just know that this is going to be interesting." Officer Jenny said as patrol cars pulled in all around the plaza and officers moved to take custody of the incapacitated trainers.

"Okay Viola, what happened here?" Jenny asked as she walked over to the gym leader, her eyes locked on the Scolipede.

"I was in the gym with these two when we saw the flash out here; we came outside and saw three of the Buzz Brats attacking those two girls, once we got outside the trainer with the Scolipede released it and tried to escape on it before Ash over there arrived and stopped him." Voila said as she gestured to where Ash, Bonnie and Clemont had gathered around Lilith and Nimue.

"Guess I'll need to talk to them to get the full story." Jenny said as she walked towards them.

Lilith looked up as she saw Ash and the others came over to her and Nimue, she noticed that Clemont looked worried for her she gain a small smile.

"Am I glad you guys made it here in time to help out. I'm so happy you traced my flare back here." Lilith said with a smile on her face to the shock of Clemont and Serena while Ash gave a knowing look at her.

"You caused that flare, how?" Serena asked as she looked over Lilith to make sure she was okay.

"It was a move manipulation of Sunny Day that my teacher helped me train Mandibuzz after she evolved, as for what happened here it's a long story." Lilith said as she looked at her friends.

"I'm afraid that I'll need to hear that long story young lady." A voice caused Lilith and the others to turn look at Officer Jenny marching over to them with a stern look on her face, Viola following behind her with an apologetic look.

"Well for me, I decided to go for a walk after supper to clear my head and I saw Nimue here walking around. I was going over to talk to her when I noticed someone following her." Lilith began gesturing at the knocked out form of Stalker being collected by officers.

"I was worried so I decided to fall back on an old tactic my teacher taught me, 'strike from the high ground'. I used my Parkour skills to get up on the roofs and trailed Nimue silently as I could, when she got to the plaza I saw two others wearing the same color jacket as him move to surround her and then I noticed two Venomoths flying towards her. I had my Mandibuzz take them down and kept the attention of that one and Nimue held off the other two before I had my Mandibuzz make that flare with Sunny Day. Ash and the others arvived, Voila came out and we knocked the other two out." Lilith said. Nimue kept her face blank as she listened. _She helped me out here, I owe her that much so I'll back up her story, but the two of us really need to talk to each other sooner than later._

"I had decided to go for a walk around the city, to think about some…personal problems…." Nimue began before…

"Oh for the…Boss, you gonna want to look at this." One of the officers taking custody of the trainer with the Scolipede called out.

"Stay here." Officer Jenny ordered as she walked over to the group of officers.

"What? I was trying to get a statement." Jenny said crossly, but when she saw the Black Scolipede tattoo on the trainers she went still before a savage grin spread over her face.

"A Scolipede Raider in Buzz Lord colors? And here I thought they were enemies." Jenny said dryly as she looked down at the trainer. _This could be just what I need to break them once and for all. But I can't hold them in the city, send them to the Prison?_

"He's to go into special confinement until I can 'talk' to him. The other two are to be sent to general holding. I want every public report to show two assailants only. We have to keep him on hand, this could let us break them." Jenny ordered as she ran back toward Ash and his team.

"Ladies, I'll need the two of you to come to the station tomorrow morning, something about one your assailants needs my attention." Officer Jenny said when she stopped in front of them

"Would it be okay if we do that before noon? I was going to offer Lilly a coffee on me since she helped me out." Nimue said as she looked at Lilly.

"Yes, that would be a perfect time for me. And I would love that coffee Nimue." Lilly said as she smiled, but her thoughts were

Bonnie paced back and forth outside the Center, hoping her friends would come back soon.

"Come back inside child, your friends will be back when they are. And that flare had to cause Jenny to go and check it out. Regardless of how long it takes I'm sure they will be back." Nurse Joy said as she stood

"But what if they're hurt! What if they need more help than Jenny can provide!? If I'm not there to try to help I'll hate myself forever!" Bonnie cried as she looked at Joy with tears in her eyes.

Nurse Joy looked sorrowful before she saw something and smiled.

"It looks like forever is rather shorter than most people would have you believe." She told Bonnie who looked first at Joy and then turned to see Ash leading the others back toward the Pokémon Center. Bonnie just looked at them as her eyes started to water before she ran toward her brother.

"CLEMONT!" She cried when she reached her brother and jumped at him, throwing her arms around him as she cried into his stomach. Clemont just looked at his sister and rubbed the back of her head as Serena and Lilly both dropped down and put their arms over Bonnie's shoulders as Ash looked on with concern on his face.

"Hey Bonnie, we're all fine. Lilly and Nimue were in trouble but Ash and Pikachu handled it with just two attacks." Serena said a Bonnie regained some control of herself.

"Let's get you to bed Bonnie, you've got a test tomorrow and I think you'll want to pass this one." Clemont said as he reached down and picked her up, Bonnie putting her head on his shoulders.

Clemont closed the door to the room Bonnie, Serena and Lilly were using and gave a small smile as he sighed.

"I'm guessing there's a reason she reacted like that?" Lilly's voice caused him to look up and see her leaning against the wall with a somber frown, two cups of a brown liquid in her hands, one offered to him. He took it and sip, smiling when he tasted hot coco.

"There was an earthquake back home a few months back, a friend of hers was found afterwards unconscious, she still hasn't woken up." Clemont said as he leaned against the wall, Lilly standing next to him.

"But I'm guessing the quake caused them to be separated and the Bonnie blames herself." Lilly said as she closed her eyes.

"Yeah, they were coming back from a movie and I was right behind them when she left us to get something for her mom. She was talking about going after her but it was late and her friend lived nearby and the exact next minute the earthquake happened and I grabbed Bonnie and ran for….home and for the next week the whole city helped clean up, some people moving to refuge centers because of the damage to their homes, we thought her friend's family was one of them but when the school opened the next week she discovered that her friend was in the hospital. Of course I learned about the problems she had been having the next day but that's pare for the course I guess. Anyway, I'm going to head to the lounge and see what's on for an hour or so, what about you?" Clemont said as he finished his drink.

"I'll hit the sack early I think. Tell Serena what I'm doing if you see her and Ash for me will ya?" Lilly said as she walked towards her room.

"Good Night Lilly, I'll tell Serena to be quite when she goes to sleep." Clemont said as he walked off. Clemont turned back and saw Lilly close the door and he shook his head with a smile. _Lilly is all heart and how she and Serena have been great with Bonnie. I think journeying with them will help Bonnie finally start to heal a bit and if she passes the test tomorrow I'll have a great surprise for her._

Once in her room Lilith looked at Bonnie and frowned when she saw the way Bonnie's face was as she cursed silently to herself. _I knew as soon as I heard what happened from her brother that this would happen, maybe I'll be able to help her threw it, I know I'm probably becoming too attached to her, but I can't just walk away. My lady helped me out and like she said, pay it forward._ She put her hand on Bonnie and as it glowed with a black aura Bonnie's trouble face became peaceful, prompting a smile from Lilith. She walked to the bathroom, opening the door and smiled when she saw her Pokémon had completed its task she had giving it.

Ash sat in a chair as he fumed, looking at his Pokédex as old memories playing in his head, the screams of those he had attacked with his blade and team, the horrors they had come across, it he was so caught up in his memories that he never noticed her until Serena had put her hand on his shoulder, startling him. He looked up and winced when he saw Serena's face.

"You okay Ash?" Serena asked as she looked at her friend. _What happened back there, he was so enraged, what set him off?_

"Yeah, it's just some memories from Kanto that won't go away, and no Serena I don't want to talk about them." Ash said as he looked away.

"I'm here if you need to talk Ash. And what were you looking at?" Serena asked as she sat next to him.

"A Quest that will give me a TM that will help Fletchling with Voila's strategy, it looks to be a simple Gathering why the TM." Ash mused as he looked up and saw Clemont walk in alone.

"lo Clemont, Lilly never found you?" Ash asked as Clemont walked over towards a group by the room's TV.

"She did, she went to bed early, so I told her that I'd tell you Serena. Hey, is the Baccer game on?" Clemont asked the people around the TV as he sat down before it.

"So about that Quest of yours, need help?" Serena asked as Ash stood up.

"Sure, but it's outside the town; and I'm getting a vibe that it might be a bit dangerous then it says." Ash said as he looked at her.

"Lilly and I fought off a Chimera, I think I could take a simple quest." Serena answered him with a small smirk on her face.

Cleo was wearing a tight brown sleeveless dress that showed off the valley of her cleavage with a slit on the right side, each step she took showed off a white stocking clad leg while her arms had white opera gloves with two bracelets of brown stones. Her lips were painted a ruby red and she had brown gemstones in her ears. She walked through a party full of people dressed in the fashion of high society, dresses and tuxedoes; classical opera music was playing as people danced with each other. Cleo moved around the edges of the crowd, dodging men in tuxedoes who came to try to get her as a dance partner.

"Miss Ro Clor; good evening." A voice caused her to turn to see a butler with black slicked hair in a tuxedo wearing a facemask.

"Parden the interruption, but a caller is waiting to talk with you on the balcony, he said to tell you he is a RockDoc whatever that means milady." He said causing Cleo to blush as she walked towards the doors to the balcony. _Finally I get to meet him! After so long I can finally see who gained my heart with all our talks._

Cleo had reached the doors stopped before. _With one action I will finally get to meet him._ With a tembling hand she and was about to open them when suddenly….

"Lady Ro Clor! Lady Ro Clor!" A voice called forcing Cleo to shoot up from her bed. _What! I was…it was a dream, a wonderful dream._

Cleo looked around her room; she noticed her Krokorok was waking up as well, rubbing sleep from its eyes.

"Lady Ro Clor, please. I'm sorry to wake you but the Marshall Asim said you ordered us to wake you if any information came about the cave, we think we have a lead!" The voice said as

"Good for you." Cleo said as she lay back down. _Wait the cave?!_ Cleo shot up from her bed, her eyes wide open.

"I'll be there as soon as I get a robe." Cleo called out as she got out of her bed and rushed to her closet for a robe, her Krokorok shaking itself awake.

Asim paced back and forth in front of the map of the territory with a worried look on his face, a report on the table from the guards the source. _This is impossible, where could that thing have come from? And I don't trust the reason they gave to the guards, my instincts are telling me something is rotten in the Rest, I might need to pay a visit to my sister's family, undercover of course._

"I want a report Marshal, what has happened that has caused you to wake me." Cleo's voice caused him to turn and see Cleo walking into the room, her Krokorok by her side.

"My Lady, I'm sorry to wake you but once I saw the report I knew I had to." Asim said as he bowed to her. Cleo walked to the table and looked over the map

"What has happened in my realm Marshal, at such a late hour?" Cleo demanded as she looked at him.

"It was a disturbance across the river from Sola's Rest, Milady. When the local militia went to investigate it was discovered a party of trainers and their Pokémon had been drained of their Auras. The wounds matched the Pokémon from the cave." Asim reported as he passed her the report.

"So whatever broke out from those ruins has moved through the desert and ended at a town in the frontier? And what else Marshal?" Cleo asked as she kneaded her forehead.

"A member of the trainers stayed back and saw what drained them. It was identified as a Golem of some kind." Asim said as he looked at the map.

"A Golem that was able to drain Aura?! I must profess that I don't know much about the lore of Casters in general, but even that sounds…." Cleo started to say before someone interrupted her.

"It is impossible my lady. All known knowledge says that that is impossible." A voice cut in from the door, causing all to turn and see a man with red hair and a short red beard walk into the room. Her was wearing a gold robe with a drawn hood and carried a short staff ending in a circle. His black eyes swept over the hall as he walked to the table.

"High Caster Zubair, please share with us your thoughts on the attack." Cleo commanded imperiously, but Zubair only shared a look with her, he knew that his interruption needed a command to pay him back and gave a short nod.

"All Golem craft knowledge says that a golem cannot absorb the Aura of living creatures on their own, the Aura given to golems through a crystal is changed and becomes neutral Aura which it then can use. Something that could drain Aura is completely unknown and has….Disturbing implications that I would advise that all reports about this subject be sent on to Castletown, we….should not keep such knowledge to our chests." Zubair said as he meets his lady's eyes.

"And then there are the people who were attacked my lady. I don't trust the reason they gave the militia about why they were out there. Everything is telling me something is _wrong_ at the Rest." Asim cut in causing her to turn and looked at him, causing him to go to attention as she gazed at him. Cleo turned her attention back to the map and looked down her territory,

"Marshall Asim, how long would you say it would take to prepare my personal barge for a trip along the Great River?" Cleo said as she walked around the table. Asim shared a confused look with Zubair before he turned to his.

"Milady, I believe that if everything was going as the mechanics report, they should be finished with the final checks sometime tomorrow. What are you planning?" Asim asked as he started to gain a worrisome thought.

"Tuya is back from her last assailment isn't she? And Marshal how long since you've seen your family, not since they moved Sola's Rest I believe." Cleo said as Asim started to pale, while Zubair just gave a small smile as he started to understand her plan.

"Marshal, I believe you have earned a working vacation. Please asked Tuya to join me for a late breakfast, and Zubair, I need you to prepare a few Illusion Jewels, you know the type, and I will have orders for all of you in the morning as well. Now I will be retiring to my room, and perhaps I will be able to get back to that dream." Cleo said before she walked out of the room.

Asim waited until she was gone before he turned to Zubair who smiled at him. Asim just looked at him blank faced.

"it looks like you have another mission with our Lady my friend. Chin up, at least you get to visit your family." Zubair laughed until he saw the smirk on Asim's face.

"And you will be taking a relaxing river voyage, first stop the Domain's City of Scholars and **her**." Asim said as he smirked evilly. Zubair lost the color in his face as he went still.

"Oh dear, I wonder who has the better mission between us?" Zubair wondered as he looked on as Asim walked off.

"You two found a clearing hidden by Seals? With a giant tree in the center, the entire area covered in webbing?" Sylvestre asked as the hunting party sat around a fire, their golems forming a circle between them and the darkness of the woods.

"Don't know what to think about it boss, my instincts were screaming at me to leave and Haunter didn't find anything there, but we left in a hurry." Dante admitted as he stared into the fire.

"'Only the Virtuous may travel Victory's Road'. That's a saying older then the Indigo League, at least according to what learned from my brother when we set the base up. I wonder, the term Virtuous was once used for Aura users in the olden days, could there be a connection? Something to tell my brother, but I'm worried about what made those webs in the first place." Sylvestre said as he looked over his shoulder. Nicolas looked worried and decided to interject his thoughts.

"Could have been Pokémon, could have been insects." Dante said gruffly as he stared into the fire.

"Webs that size and the amount we saw?" Nicolas asked as he looked at Dante with a touch of shock in his voice. Sylvestre threw a branch on the fire and snorted causing the people around the fire to turn and look at him.

"It could have if that place was left alone for centuries, maybe. Me and Dante were part of an expedition once that broke open a tomb, had so many webs we thought a swarm of Galvantula had turned it into a nest, turned out to be insects only. Or it could have been a Chimera." Sylvestre finished with a frown on his face; his words causing the squires to start to murmur among themselves, all of them looking out into the darkness with looks of fear on their faces as they.

"Perhaps we should set a guard or put the golems in watch mode or something?" Nicolas asked, causing Dante to look at him. Dante spared a look at Sylvestre who didn't react to anything, merely looking at the fire.

"The kid's right, a watch would be a good idea." Dante grunted as he stood up and looked into the darkness. Nicolas looked relieved that someone had agreed with him and saw Sylvestre nod.

"I agree and I think we'll move on in the morning, the bounty we gathered already puts us ahead of the plan I had for the hunt anyway. Dante my friend, you're in charge of the schedule." Sylvestre said as he walked toward his tent.

"Right then, here's how it's gonna be. Groups of three for each patrol around the camp; one group circles the camp, one stays awake to guard the camp and the others sleep until the patrol group comes back after circling the camp twice, wakes three people who guard while the guard group goes on patrol, while the former patrol group sleeps. Those on hunt duty tomorrow get last patrol, Sylvestre, the kid and me have the midnight patrol." Dante said as he looked over the group. Above them a crude wooden insect connected to a white string leading into the darkness watched over them, spying on them, feeding what was said to its creator.

Three people walked through the woods each one dressed in a long clock with a hood, each of them holding a long sword and shield as they moved, looking all around for any signs of movement.

"Another lap, brothers, and then we can sleep, I'm getting tired." The leading figure said gruffly.

Sounds ahead of them caused them to look and see plants start to shake as a figure dashed into the clearing. Moonlight revealed the figure to be buxom a woman in a torn kimono that revealed the tops of her breasts, her right thigh and leg. She had full lips and her black shiny hair fell down her back in waves, a scared look in her black eyes. Her eyes saw them she gained a look of hope on her face as soon.

"HELP ME, CHIMERAS ARE RIGHT BEHIND ME!" she screamed as she looked at the three people. The three figures looked at each other and nodded. The leader of the three moved forward and moved the woman behind him. The other two moved forward and

"Don't worry mi 'lady, the three of us will get you to safety. Just stay back and get ready to run if they get past us." The leader said gruffly as he joined his two comrades. The plants around them started to shake as

"Thank you so much. You're all so brave and strong, perfect to feed to my girls." The woman behind them said with a sinister chuckle.

"Wait feed?" Leader said as he started to turn before a gurgle made him look to the left and saw two black spider legs piercing his comrade's body where his lungs would be. He followed the legs and went white when he saw that they had come from over the woman's shoulder, a woman who now had a sinister grin on her face.

"Murdering whore!" He cried as he raised his sword before a line of webbing shot and hit his sword arm and pulled him backwards, forcing him from his feet, before he could try to get up he was wrapped in webbing that immobilized him. He looked and saw two vines were chocking his remain comrade which lead to ten foot spider like Chimera with large flower on its back. He went white when he saw the bushes part to reveal other spider Chimera. He felt a hard hand on his chin and his head was forced up to look into the black eyes of the woman who smiled at him before she thrust her hand into his chest and pulled his heart out. As his vision darkened he heard the woman let out a startled cry before she started to curse. He cries were the last thing he heard.

"They're not made of meat?! What are these abominations?!" She spat as she saw the prey she and her daughters had been stalking dissolve until only the cloths and weapons remained. She looked at her girls and saw the confusion in her eldest eyes and cursed. She focused her power and repaired her cloths and formed her armor over her feet and arms and walked away from where the camp of the intruders was.

"Well girls it seems our hunt for a new home will take place now and we'll eat on the search." She said as she walked into woods, the spider Chimeras following her.

Ash stretched as he walked out of the cafeteria with a smile on his face. After last night a good sleep and breakfast was just what he needed. The memories were still there but they had faded and he could deal with them normally. He walked down the hallway and saw Serena and Lilly walking towards him.

"Sure you want to come along with me Serena, it's probably going to be pretty boring." Ash said when they fell in step behind him.

"Yeah, it'll give me some time to think about my future, I don't really have a goal for my journey yet." Serena said as they walked towards the front of the Center. Nurse Joy was behind the counter and smiled as they approached.

"Hello Nurse Joy, I know I need to check with you before I can take the Quest, right?" Ash said as he

"Please select the Quest you wish to attempt and put your Pokédex on the pad please so I can check your qualifications please." Joy said with a smile on her face as she pointed at a lite pad. Ash set his 'dex down and when Joy saw his list of accomplishments she did a double take and started to look over the data more intently. After a few minutes Ash shared a look with Serena and Lilly and Lilly gestured towards Nurse Joy.

"Uh, Nurse Joy?" Ash asked, startling her. She blushed and looked down at her desk. She input a few commands into her computer and a ding and the pad's light dying down caused Ash to take back his Pokédex.

"I'm sorry; yes you have all the necessary qualifications to undertake this quest. I've loaded a map that will lead you to where you need to go. The target is a crystal at least two feet tall." Joy said as she looked as with a look to her eyes that Serena definitely didn't like.

"Thank you Nurse Joy, is there a time limit?" Ash's question caused Joy to look back towards her computer as she looked up the information the person who posted the Quest had given.

"According to the paperwork you need to get it back here by tomorrow at the latest. Good luck and have a nice day." Joy said with a smile as Clemont and his sister came walking towards the desk.

"Hey Clemont, Bonnie how are you doing?" Serena asked as Lilly smiled at Clemont.

"Fine Serena I slept great. And you have a test ready for me Nurse Joy?" Bonnie asked with a smile on her face as Clemont handed some papers to Joy. She looked it over and gave Bonnie a small smile and noticed Clemont winking at her.

"Yes I do, there's a room set up for home school testing. I hope you have good luck and have studied well. Please follow me." Nurse Joy said with a smile to Bonnie. Bonnie handed over her bag to her brother and gave a small smile.

"Well, here I go." Bonnie said with a small smile on her face.

"Good Luck Bonnie, I'll be here when you're done." Clemont said with a smile. Bonnie walked holding Nurse Joy's hand down a hallway.

"Remember to take your time and good luck!" Lilly advised as they wish her good luck. Ash and opened the map data and winced a bit at the distance they needed to travel.

"We should get moving now if we want to make it back by nightfall Serena." Ash said as he turned and walked towards the exit.

"Well I guess we'll see you later, have a good day you two." Serena said as she followed Ash out of the center.

"Well I have to get over to the station to talk with Officer Jenny and then Nimue owes me a coffee. I know Bonnie is doing that test and Serena's joining Ash on his quest but what about you Clemont?" Lilly asked as she looked at Clemont.

"I'll be staying here and finishing up a blueprint for an invention I've been working on and finishing up some paperwork I have to finish. Have a good day Lilly." Clemont said as he walked towards a nearby table.

Lilith saw Nimue waiting for her after she had finished talking with Jenny, Nimue looked nervous as the two locked eyes but gestured to Lilith to follow her, not words passing between them as they walked. Lilith's eyes noticed a few people in light green jackets following them and made no outwards reaction that she had seen them. After a while they stopped in front of a quiet little café and Lilith walked over to a table away from other people so they could talk quietly, while Nimue walked to the counter and ordered two coffees for them. Nimue put Lilith's cup down before her and add two cubes of sugar to hers and silently stirred her cup.

"So….Where did you learn? Who taught you, I thought the Weapon killed everyone not behind protection and wasted the abilities of those who survived." Nimiue asked as she looked at Lilith

"At my home, a place far away from Kalos, from my teacher; but giving what I know and with what you just said I'm guessing it has to do with the Emperor's Weapon, right?" Lilith answered her as she sipped her drink. Nimiue looked at her shocked before she started to chuckle.

"I guess the elders were wrong, the Weapon only affected Kalos alone. According to the history I was taught the weapon stole the Aura of Pokémon closest to it, and sent out an energy wave that counteracted the abilities of any humans who used Aura, the feedback caused the lucky ones to die, and the unlucky ones to live with their Aura so reduced they could barely survive. When my ancestors came out of hiding everyone who knew about them thought that they had died with all the others and with the war, they decided to let them keep believing it. Over the years they turned their home into a place they could live and survive on their own. Over the years we started to use our abilities for our own goals, turning away from the Nation and becoming insular, isolated." Nimue said.

"But then since you're out here, I guessing you escaped from there, and the name Sisterhood is giving me some concerns about where you come from, giving a few groups my people have fought." Lilith said as she locked eyes with Nimue who winced.

"Yeah, our name. That happened about five hundred years ago. A movement started to go back into the world, to teach how to use Aura again, the person who championed the cause was a young man named Emrys Aquatron and…" Nimue trailed off as she saw that Lilith had gone white.

"Emrys Aquatron!? He came from **your** home?!" Lilith exclaimed in shock as she stood up from the table. Lilith remembered where they were and looked around, noticing that some people had turned and looked towards them because of her outburst, but most looked away when Lilith glared at them, but her eyes noticed some people at a table outside looking in. Turning back to Nimue, Lilith saw her staring shock before she shot up and moved her head closer to Lilith's.

"How do you know about Emrys!? I only know about him because I started to look into the past after a remark one of my teachers made once!" Nimue demanded.

"Tell me what you know and I'll tell you what I know, but sit down before we attract more attention than we already have." Lilith said as she gestured around the café. Nimue spared a glance around and sat down with a blush.

"I don't know much, and a lot of it is second hand at best. The story goes that for at least three years Emrys championed the cause and many young men joined his movement, until finally what was supposed to be a debate erupted into a battle that almost destroyed our settlement. When the dust cleared Emrys and his core followers had disappeared. For the next two generations we watched for when a force he or his heirs would raise to conquer us, the victors of that battle were sure it would happen. Those sentiments and a few other events caused a change in how we governed ourselves, since then the leader has always been a woman and men were forbidden to train in Aura or even control Pokémon." Nimue finished with a sheepish look on her face and it was Lilith's turn to stare in shock before she gained a glare on her face.

"Forbidden to… of all the stupid things I have ever heard in my life. Anyway Emrys came to my homeland when a patrol ship found him chained up on a golem in the shape of a ship. The records say he was so weak he could barely speak, and they only knew to call him Emrys because of a tattoo he had. He was examined and it was discovered that someone had shredded his memories, the poor bastard never got them back but they never bothered him much according to the stories. To cut a long story short overtime he became one of my home's defenders, eventually he join a group that became folk heroes, and even today their memory is honored. The number of plays written about **how** he got on that ship, I can't even count the number. But what about you, why aren't you at your home?" Lilith said causing Nimue to stare.

"That's something I'll need to wrap my head around. But me, a while back we salvaged a ship that had a satellite dish that we use to find out about the world's current events; one of the times we recorded a Grand Festival. I feel in love with the sport, I practiced on my own and eventually thought to leave and try it out myself. According to the rules anyone can leave if they want to, but that was a lie that they told us. After I got out into the sun I was jumped by a branch of my homes lawkeepers, it seems that the law allowing people to leave is ignored 'for the greater good', instead they **imprison** those who want to leave. I think they have a way to implant memories that tell how terrible the outside world was. I was able to escape by prioritizing flight over combat and I think I lost them in Coumarine City." Nimue said as she finished her coffee.

"What Aura abilities do they use, all Water? And how self-sufficient are they, really?" Lilith asked as her mind went over what she was being told.

"Before I met you I thought I that Water was the only style that survived, sure we have a natural born once every hundred years or so but they never leave behind any ways to train when they passed on, to say nothing about when their alive. And I don't know about that, two subs tried to flank us when we were escaping, where they came from I don't know." Nimue admitted as she looked across the table.

"So what's your plans now?" Lilith asked with a frown as she absorb what she was told as she stood up from the table. _The home of_ Emrys _alone, a group of Water users operating along the Kalos shore, and never found a way to train the other elements when Naturals are born means someone needs to investigate that place._

"Keep doing contests until the Grand Festival, and I'll go from there. I'm thinking I'll stick to the east and south areas of Kalos, might be safer in the long term. But be careful, if they sense your abilities, they might try to capture you." Nimue said as she looked around the café, seeing a few people their ages outside wearing jackets the same color as the people who attacked them last night. She turned sharply to Lilith and saw a look of acceptance in her eyes.

"I saw them on the walk here." Lilith said as she met Nimue's eyes.

"Do you have a plan that doesn't involve any danger to civilians?" Nimue asked as Lilith started to lead her out of the café.

"Ash and Serena left to do a quest this morning, so the best plan I have is to head towards either the Police station or the Center and hope we make it there." Lilith said as they walked out of the Café.

"How about we go cloths shopping, there a boutique I heard about when I saw a tourist brochure that's just farther down there." Lilith said loudly as she pointed towards where the Pokémon Center was.

"And I think there's a cloth store, I need a few supplies for a costume for my next Contest." Nimue said absently as they walked slowly so the people tailing them wouldn't try anything.

Shadow moved quietly over the rooftops as he headed toward the Den, the sun behind him as he ran. The sooner he got done with his business the sooner he could get back to Saffron City and investigate just what they wanted there, if the intel he was given was true. He couldn't trust it completely; people like her always had another reason for their actions, that was something he learned since he started his mercenary work. The more power people and the cleaner they looked, the worse they were and the more dirt a person had on themselves, sometime they were the kindest of people. But really, he had to….THERE SHE IS!

He went dead still and looked down at the figure of Karin walking through the people, some of them noticing her and staring with stars in their eyes as a member of the Elite Four walked by. He moved over the rooftops, moving so he would be out of sight of the road but able to keep her in his sight and followed her as she walked towards a motel and moved towards a block of room hidden from the road. He landed on the roof and saw in the back lot twenty trainers and Pokemon, some of them wearing **that** symbol on their cloths.

He raised his left arm and started to clench his hand in a specific pattern, activating the camera in his gauntlet, any bit of evidence of a connection was something he could trade to Joey, the more info he could get from him and he might share with his family, the bigger the chance a reporter might stumble upon it if they use the Dens to find a story.

"Listen up! I need at least two of you for an undercover work and I need five of you for a search and destroy mission!" Karin barked when the trainers registered her.

"What is the mission Mistress?" An overly muscular trainer asked as he bowed to her, **that** symbol around his neck on a chain, a perfect picture that would get questions asked about who Karin was if they ever saw them.

"There is an outbreak among Pokémon in this city; a doctor thinks it might be connected to a Chimera." Karen said as a ripple passed through the trainers. Shadow went still as his right hand went to his left shoulder, his scar itched.

"Our orders milady?" Muscles asked as the trainers quieted down. She looked over them and Shadow the looks of respect

"The two of you who volunteer for the undercover portion of the mission must be ready to take them out if this is part of an Order faction's plans. The secondary group will be a kill team. If there are Chimera's at the heart of this outbreak, you are to kill, destroy and bring back a sample of the spore." Karin declared. Shadow tensed as he took in what she said. Unconsciously he reached for a throwing knife, one throw and she would be ended, just one throw. _Wait, she said 'factions'. How deep does the hole go, what don't I know?_ He wondered as he looked.

"There are details to discus, but let's deal with our spy first." Karin said. Shadow went still before he noticed a commotion as near the other side of lot. Two trainers appeared dragging a woman between them. She had brown hair and was wearing a green vest over a green sleeveless shirt and white pants, when he saw her brown eyes his own widened behind his helmet.

"Gabbs, what the hell?" He whispered as he stared in shock.

"Well now, a reporter has come calling, haven't you heard the saying a Meowth that goes into the Chimera hole gets eaten?" Karin asked as she looked at her with a smirk.

"I was just checking if the motel had any vacancies, really do you people have to treat a woman this way?" Gabbs asked as she looked around, but smiled slackly when one of the trainers holding hand an audio recorder to Karin mearly pressed play.

"'There is an outbreak among Pokémon in this city; a doctor thinks it might be connected to a Chimera.'" Karin's voice came out of the machine before Karin broke it in two.

"A little bitch spy dare to listen in on her betters?" Karin purred as she looked at Gabbs who looked sheepish.

"My, my, should a member of the Elite Four really be talking like that." Gabbs asked as she tried to get some control back. Karin just at her before she gave a smile that Gabbs returned shakily. Karin just continued to smile before she gave Gabbs a devastating punch to her gut, knocking her out. Karin just looked at the knocked out woman and quickly found her wallet which she took before she turned and gave her orders.

"Take her outside the city limits, make it look like something killed and ate her. The rest of you, decide among yourselves the two who will join the expedition and who will form the kill team." Karin said walked away. The two trainers walked away carrying Gabbs toward a car.

Shadow looked downward; noticing Karin had walked off alone. _I could attack her and capture her; I might be able to find out enough to end this, but Gabbs._ Shadow looked toward the two trainers carrying Gabbs and turned his head to look where Karin had walked off. He just shook his head and moved away from the lot; move over the rooftops to find a place to release his Pokémon

"I'm always pulling you out of the fire aren't I Gabby." Shadow said as he jumped over a gap between buildings.

"Noivern, Take flight!" He cried as he released his dragon type.

"Noiv noiv?" Noviern wondered as it looked around before it looked at its trainer.

"We have to save Gabby old friend, she's gotten in trouble again, this time she spied on _them_ " Shadow said as Noviern looked shocked before it adopted a look of rage as its eyes started to glow white.

"So where should we drop her, by the river or in the woods?" One of the two trainers asked the other as they got out of the car.

"The woods, give the elements time to do their stuff." The other said as he walked to the door.

"Too bad, she's a looker, think the boss would mind if we do her before we kill her?" The first asked the second with a grin.

"DNA might lead back to you, you moron, and then what do you think the boss will do to you?" The second snorted as he opened the door. Gabby shot out of the car and was halfway to the trees before the two could comprehend it.

"THE BITCH WAS FAKING IT! Mightyena go, TIME TO HUNT!" The second trainer snarled as a grey and shaggy black furred Pokémon appeared from a thrown Pokéball.

"We got a human we've got to chase down Migtyena, WE HUNT!" He snarled as he got on its back and it dashed into the forest carrying its trainer.

"Wait you bloody fool! Wait!" The reaming trainer called out as the Pokemon and its rider disappeared between the trees.

"That stupid idiot, he has to run after her and **he's** the one carrying the radio to let the others know what happened." The remaining trainer spat as he started to walk after his comrade.

"Thanks for the information." The trainer heard before a pain in his chest caused him to look down and see a blade sticking out of his body. As his sight started to darken and he fell to the ground, the last sight he ever saw was a black suit figure dash into the woods.

 _I knew there was something about her I didn't like, but she'll kill me over this? I guess Kotaro was right, sticking my nose into this stuff would get me killed eventually, but if I can get away, I'll have one heck of a story!_ Gabby thought to herself as she ran as she through the woods, using every skill she had learned at the Fuchsia Gym during her youth.

Bouncing off a tree she moved deeper into the woods, hoping to lose the trainers when she heard the howls of the Mightyena caused her to move faster. She did not have a single Pokémon, she had been stripped of her short sword and she was in a forest dodging a Pokémon that if she was right it was a Mightyena, which was so not good for her prospects of survival.

She ran through the woods before she noticed that the sounds, she couldn't hear any birds, animals or Pokémon. She was starting to get worried but when the sounds behind her grew, so with no choice she moved deeper in, not caring what branches she broke in her run.

The Mightyena carried its trainer as it speed through the foliage, the human on its back looking about for any signs of his target's passage. _Dam bitch playing hard to get! I'm gonna take my time with her now._ He thought with a snarl as his Pokémon dashed through the woods, not noticing the noise of the forest had died, so enraged that he never even wondered where his comrade was.

Shadow jumped from tree to tree, hoping to make up for the head start the bastard tracking Gabby had on him, hoping he would be able to save her. But it was going to be a reunion that he desperately didn't want. He stopped on a branch as some of his memories of his youth passed through his head, the many sparing matches he and his friend had with each other. He jumped from tree to tree until he landed on a branch with a stone set just above it in the trunk of the tree. He looked over it for a few seconds before he moved closer to it and recognized the symbols on it. An old form of the original Kanto language, he remembered his mother had studied it and he had picked up a few things about it. _This is a boundary marker, it's a warning about… Grass types? No, but then if that means 'Tree', then this reads…._ He read the hieroglyphs for a few minutes before he shot to his feet and ran past the stone, his hands falling to his blades as he moved, his senses heightened by his Aura. As he passed a tree vines shot from it toward him, but before they reached him he spun around and slashed with his twin short swords, slicing off part of the leafy vines. He ran at the tree and as his blades gained a purple glow he sliced the tree in two, resulting in the tree releasing a screech that trailed off as the vines went still. Shadow stared at the tree, notating the fleshy mouth on the back of the trunk, with the vines sporting from above the mouth. _So this is one of them. The hieroglyphs said that a 'Mother Chimera was born of wood, a force to awaken when the Mountain of Plague stirs'. Could this be connected to the reason behind that expedition, but I can try and figure this out later, I have to find Gabby._

Gabby ran she could hear the Pokemon and its rider now; she had to move she had to get away. She turned her head to look behind her and never noticed the root that tripped her, sending into a small hollow with a large tree at the center of it. Gabby tried to get up when a shadow passed over her and she saw the Mightyena and its trainer standing ahead of her. The trainer got off his pokemon and glared at her

"I was going to make it fast, but now I think I'll take my time with you." He snarled as Gabby felt his eyes roam her body. Gabby stared before she gathered her courage and raised her fists. _If I'm going down I'm gone make him work for it._

Her actions caused her opponent to snicker.

"You know I like it when they have a bit of a fight in them." He commented as he walked towards her. Gabby stared at him before him before her eyes widened as she looked behind him.

"What the heck are you looking at… " He trailed off and his own eyes widened when he saw the scene before him. His Mightyena was suspend in the air covered in vines, its muzzle wrapped shut. He stared dumbfounded before two more vines wrapped around him and no matter how he struggled.

"Bastard! Melt it out you fucking dog, melt it with Toxic!" He snarled before purple sludge dribbled out of the Mightyena's closed mouth before it was brought behind the large tree and a powerful bite was heard, causing the trainer to struggle even harder. Gabby just stared, not noticing a vine moved towards her before it grabbed her legs. She grabbed at the vine but she pricked her hands on a thorn on the vines and started to feel sleepy. When she heard a snort from the trainer who had hunted her she struggled to look at him.

"At least you'll die too bitch." The trainer muttered as they were brought closer to the tree. Before Gabby could try and say something back a blade flew through the air and cut through the vine holding her, dropping her and sending her towards the forest floor. Before she hit the ground a man in black grabbed her and when vines came towards them white crescent shaped energy blades destroyed them. Gabby looked up and noticed a Noivern standing at the edge of the hollow.

"Hey, what about me you idiot, drop the whore and help me!" The trainer called out to Shadow. Shadow turned back towards him and noticed a large flower growing on one of the tree's limbs. He looked at the trainer as he was brought closer to the tree and threw a blade that hit his head, killing him instantly. He turned back towards Gabby and noticed her eyes and opened one of her eyes to look closely at her iris. Gabby tried to struggle and get out of the arms of the person holding her when his voice caused her to stare and in shock she lost the fight with the poison.

"Hold on Gabbs, I'll get you to someone who'll help you." The voice of the figure caused her to reach out and put her hands against the right side of his helmet. He grasped it in his right hand and she was shocked at what she realized about the person holding her.

"Kotaro?" She whispered as she lost the fight to stay awake.

"This is your pilot speaking; we're on final approach to the Sea outside Cherrygrove City. Once again my apologies for the closing of the Viridian airport, I hope that that unforeseen event hasn't affected your opine of our Airline and I hope that you had a pleasant flight." Riley opened his eyes and noticed that that Cameron was still awake reading the book they had taken with them from the storehouse, a tome written by the ancient guardians in a code that he had taught Cameron their first month together.

"Find anything?" He inquired of his student. Cameron looked up and closed the book and put it away with a troubled look on his face. He looked at his teacher and signed that he would tell him when they were away from other people. Riley was worried, Cameron usually told him anything when he discovered it no matter who could overhear it, what he found was probably very important.

Riley lead Cameron through Cherrygrove City they had exchanged a few signs, what he read filled him with fear. Riley paid attention to everyone he could see as he and Cameron moved, he saw no one who tried to follow them and his abilities detected nothing out of the ordinary, but he did he noticed a few people watching the plane when it landed. Cameron grabbed his arm and gestured towards the town's Pokémon Center but Riley shook his head and gestured towards Kanto, they had to move on. Once they had left the city Riley turned to Cameron and looked straight at him.

"We're as far from other people as we can get, what did you find in the tome?" Riley asked as they stopped.

"I found mention of the Light Protectors master, of their origins." Cameron's answered caused Riley to stare in shock as he remembered what he had been taught about them. A splinter group that delved into the worst of practices, a group that had been thought destroyed many times but had always comeback. They even had once breed a Chimera for creation's sake, what could they have to do… _Wait a second their origin? They were that old?_ Riley's thoughts stop cold as he went pale.

"What does it say?" He asked as he tried

"They were created because of a Chimera strain that according to the book conquered much of Kanto in the distant past. After a town was purged and the Guardians discovered that other Chimera fought against them a movement began by a Guardian whose family was among the victims, fight fire with fire. The book goes on to say that overtime the Guardian gathered a following of those like him, people who had lost loved ones and wanted to keep the deaths of humans down. The other guardians saw the fight as more important, but then one battle saw a Chimera attack the horde using something called an Aura Equipment that gave it energy with each kill it made. The explanation that was given to the leadership was it was a prototype that the Chimera stole when they tried to kill a straggler of a 'sun' before the battle happened." Cameron explained.

"Don't tell me they bought that explanation!" Riley spat at what he had just heard.

"It goes on to say that the Chimera that attacked the horde broke the lines and let them move into the territory that the strain had claimed and start to take back Kanto but they were told to take better care of their experiments. The writer said he didn't believe the explanation and that he found others who felt as he did. Together they started to track the Guardian and his followers and when the final battle against the strain was won and they were sealed away they discovered that they had created the line breaker Chimera. The rest of the Guardians tried to bring them to judgment but they fought back and most of them escaped. The writer says when he was confronted the Guardian said this, 'Thus do we swear to use all weapons to fight against the abominations. No sacrifice is to great, no cost too great, no action will be taboo. We swear to forever stand against the Evil. To forever Protect the Light!' That was the last time he and core followers were ever seen." Cameron said as he shook his head. Riley took what he heard and starred into space, his thoughts racing. _To finally know where the Protectors came from, master did you know? But wait, why would this be written in the tome under the same chapter as the seal…._ He went still and turned to his student.

"So the seal was holding back the last of this strain of Chimera. Does it say if any of these…. Proto-Protectors were involved with the sealing?" Riley asked Cameron flatly.

"Some of them were, why is that important master?" The answer caused Riley to hang his head and close his eyes.

"Second law of Sealing, it can have as many monitoring artifacts as the maker wants, but they have to be prepared before the sealing takes place. And given what they had written, how they wanted to use 'fire against fire'…." He trailed off and looked at Cameron who started to think as his mentor looked at him.

Cameron turned away from Riley and mentally cursed how Riley liked to make anything a teaching moment, citing that Aura Guardians needed to react to the unexpected when they encountered them. _Fight fire with fire. Fight like with like?_ Riley started to pale and looked horrified as he turned back towards his teacher.

"They created a Chimera horde to fight a Chimera horde?" Riley cried out incredibly in shock.

"I think we should get to Kanto as fast as possible, we'll find out when we get there. This is a good chance to practice the Far Runner technique until night fall." Riley said as he started to run, Cameron running after him.

Brock walked out of the Center with a backpack on and saw two people waiting for him. The first was a man in a red jacket and blue pants with his black hair in dreads that framed his face. The other was a woman with blue hair in a top knot wearing a red jacket, blue shorts and blue leg warmers. When the woman saw him coming towards him she nudged the man and gestured towards him when he looked at her. He smiled and walked over towards Brock and extended his hand.

"Dr. Brock I presume? I'm Yuji, this is Salma; Giovani sent us to join your expedition. Have the people Karin said would join us arrived yet?" Yuji inquired as Brock shock his hand.

"No, and I haven't heard anything yet. We'll wait another hour then move out; there was another outbreak earlier this morning so we have to find the source or rule out the mountains as soon as possible." Brock said grimly. The two gym trainers shared a look and Salma stepped forward.

"The gym has air filters do to an attack by a swarm of Pokémon a few years ago so our own Pokémon haven't been affect, has it gotten that bad?" Salma asked as she looked at the Center.

"Yeah, so far no humans were affected but my gut tells me it's only a matter of time until that happens. I've gathered enough supplies to last us three days up there, I'll give a general briefing once the others get here." Brock reinsured Salma before noises to their right caught their attention. They turned to see two people riding Pokemon coming their way. A leonine Pokémon with a dominantly red mane with gold streaks was carrying a woman with red hair flowing down her back and red eyes. She was wearing a red cloak over a black shirt and pants. A Rapidash was carrying a man who looked like he was related to her. He had red eyes and short red hair and was wearing the same as the woman. The man and woman got off their Pokémon and she walked forward and gave off a small smile.

"Hi, sorry if we're a bit late, had some paperwork to finish, you know how it goes, the name's Agalia and that's my brother, Kunz." She said when she reached them.

"You're not. Gather around, I'll tell you what we're doing." Brock said as he led the four trainers towards a table where he put a map of the local area down.

"According to weather research if the spores were wind borne as we believe, there are three locations we have to check. The first is a cliff just outside of the city; the second is a ledge about halfway up the mountain and the final is the summit. It's around Noon now; we reach the first stage around nightfall." Brock explained as the others looked and nodded.

"According to what we were told there's a possibility this was caused by a Chimera Doc.?" Kunz asked with a gruff voice. Brock looked around the table and saw the concern and decided to tell the truth as he knew it.

"I had an encounter a few years ago; a Chimera used Stun Spores to hunt, while the spores have a few organic proteins a Chimera hasn't been ruled out or disproved as of right now. That's one of the main goal of our expedition, to find out just what released the spores and deal with it." Brock said with a sigh.

"Do we have enough supplies for the trip?" Yuji inquired as he traced their route.

"Enough to last a weak incase anything happens, and I know how to scrounge in mountains so we should be fine." Brock answered.

"Then there's nothing else to do but embark, shall we mount our Pokémon at the city's edge so we don't alarm anyone?" Salma suggested as Brock put the map away.

"Best thing for us to do anyway." Agalia said as the party started to walk towards the mountains, each taking care to keep their thoughts from their faces. As they moved through the city none of them noticed a figure in black shadowing them on the rooftops, his gaze fixed on the brother and sister.

 **Aura Technique; Ghost; Ghost Walker** ; covers user in illusion that hides person from sight but does not make user immaterial despite name

 **Aura Equipment: Illusion Jewelry** : Aura Equipment that puts the appearance of a person behind an illusion that changes small details of a person, hair color/ eye color/ marks on body, lasts as long as Aura is feed to it.

 **Aura Technique; Basic; Far Runner:** Technique that keeps stamina up as long as Aura is used, has multiple applications outside of travel


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Here it is chapter 9 decided to make Brock's last name Slate. And on a different note I'm sorry this is so late, in real life I'm moving and had a hundred different things to do to sell my house and I finished them a few days ago, and with showings and an open house to get ready for and fighting threw some writer's block I was finally able to finish this. And then I relazed that I wrote something that would destroy the flow of my story so I had to rethink the plot for the next few chapters. And about the OC's, some of them are just here to die when I have reached the right time to tie into my ending. And I'm sorry but the next chapter after this will be by the end of April or when I can finish it. And I'll be putting updates on my fan fiction profile so this doesn't happen without you knowing about it so sorry and enjoy.

Giovanni sigh as he looked over the city from his the window as he starched his Persian's ears, he had sent two gym trainers to join Dr. Slate and he needed to brief his operatives on their missions. He had gone over the plans for the gym and sent another gym trainer to check out the shelters to make sure they were fully supplied but he was still worried. Something was happening around his city, he had woken up with a sense that something was awake, something that would threaten his city. The buzz of his intercom caused him to turn back towards his desk.

"Sir, lady Sham is here along with operatives Butch and Cassidy." Miranda voice came over the intercom.

"Thank you Miranda, send in Sham and call me when Dr. arrives." Giovanni ordered. He turned towards the door and his Persian walked to stand beside his desk as they watched Sham walk in, she was wearing her uniform and as usual a part of her red hair was in front of her left eye and she had hope earrings on. She had a confident smirk as she walked in and bowed when she reached his desk.

"Good day boss, what's the job?" She purred as she looked at him. And when he answered she lost her smirk for a second.

"Trailing and specimen retrieval. Dr. Slate has launched an expedition into the mountains to look for the source of the outbreak that hit the city yesterday. Your mission is to head into the mountains, follow them and if possible find a sample of whatever is causing the symptoms,

"The mountains, hu? What restrictions will my team have?" Sham inquired as she started to think.

"The team must be small and quick, so choose your team's size and the Pokémon you'll take carefully. Do what you can to keep your eyes open when you in the operation zone, you're going in completely blind to any changes there. The expedition lead by the doctor is to be left alone, but if contact is made act like one of our own Pokémon is infect and one of you recognized the Doctor and guessed why they were there." Giovanni commanded.

"Time to get my team ready before we deploy boss? And who can I tag for it for my mission?" Sham

"You leave at noon; so be quick. You can have any of the operatives here besides Butch and Cassidy, I have a different assignment for them. If there isn't anything else you need clarified?" Giovanni asked with one of his eyebrows raised as he looked at her.

"I know everything I need; I'll see you when I'm back with results." Sham said as she bowed before she left the room.

Giovanni looked back towards the window and just looked out the window as he let his thoughts flow. That machine at the city Alto Mare, the Chimera threat to said city, the outbreak here at Viridian, and where Karin found _Hunters_. Honestly there were more problems in the last twenty-four hours then in the last month. And that was only at the legal side of his operation, on the Rocket side he couldn't even count them; the underworld had rumors about Team Plasma's revival, city based gangs in Kanto were starting to fight against Team Rocket, the survivors of Team Magma and Aqua had disappeared and _Looker_ had been sighted entering Kanto a few weeks ago and had disappeared himself.

"Sir, Dr. Namba has arrived, shall I send them in?" Miranda's voice caused him to smile. _At least I can get a handle on the newest problems. But the gangs, I should deal with that issue next._

"Send them in and Miranda, and contact Ariana, tell her I need to talk to her about the gangs, she'll know… Oh, just contact the all the Admins, tell them I need a conference tonight." He looked towards the door and saw Namba, Butch and Cassidy walk in and gestured towards three reports on his table.

"Read these and then we'll talk, I have some paperwork to finish anyway." Giovanni commanded as he sat behind his desk. As he went over the papers he heard his three operatives reaction to what was in the reports. After a few minutes he looked up and saw Butch and Cassidy having a whispered conversation and saw Dr. Namba fuming as he sat.

"Reactions to what you've read?" Giovanni asked the room as he looked around.

"The sheer stupidity is unbelievable! What in the name of reason were they thinking?!" Dr. Namba demand as he tore the report to confetti.

"This doesn't sound like something Annie would do, her younger sister Oakley on the other hand…" Cassidy winced as she thought about the younger woman, not noticing Giovanni's eyes widening for a few seconds before he regained his glare.

"Not to mention Alto Mare, I can remember a lot of mission where I used that city as a way into Johto back when I was a grunt, to think that place had such a secret in it." Butch muttered as he looked through the report. Giovanni looked up at that and his mind whirled.

"I did to now that I think about it, in fact my mother always told me not to draw attention to ourselves there. At the time I always thought that was so the missions wouldn't get any more complicated but perhaps? Dr. Namba, Operatives Butch and Cassidy, here is your assignment. You are to head to Alto Mare and return with any information on this Defense Machine, you may request any additional Pokémon besides your personal teams. At no time what so ever are you to attack the Legendary Pokémon at the city or try to retrieve the Soul Drew, this is absolute. Your secondary objective is to identify the Chimera or thing that set the League into action so fast." Giovanni ordered, causing Namba snorted.

"The League sent help to Alto Mare about a Chimera? How many months did that decision take?" Dr. Namba sneered as he closed his eyes. But Giovanni's response cause Namba to whiten in shock.

"According to information retrieved from League data lines, it only took them an hour to send out an all-purpose command to all Hunters aligned to the League. And that leads to your third objective, find out why" Giovanni's dry replay caused Namba to stare in shock.

"The League reacted that fast?! Who bribed them who and how much?" Butch whispered in shock.

"That is for you to find out. You are to move out after the hurricane passes and the expedition returns from the mountains." Gionvanni said.

"What expedition?" Cassidy asked as she shared a look with Butch.

"As of yesterday many Pokémon are in the Center, they're suffering from a deliberating outbreak; it was identified by the doctors as being caused by a hybrid planet-animal spore. Dr. Slate had a misadventure where he encountered a Chimera that used such spores to hunt and giving the way the wind operates in the general area an expedition to the mountain was launched earlier this morning, I sent two of the Gym trainers and Miss Karin sent a few hunters along." Giovanni said as he looked over his operatives.

"A hybrid spore, we might be able create an artificial derivative if we could obtain a pure sample. I trust that was the mission Miss Sham was briefed on before you called us in." Namba said as he crossed his arms and shot Giovanni a look he knew all too well.

"As always you prove you deserve your reputation Doctor. Butch, Cassidy go change and start helping the others secure the shelter if the City needs it. Namba, stay here." Giovanni ordered, prompting Butch and Cassidy to bow and walk out of the room, Namba just leaned back and closed his eyes.

"'We do not exist in a vacuum', that is one of the few things your mother and I ever agreed on. If a Chimera was using something like this to hunt and could affect such an area the size of Viridian and from as far away as the mountains then the underworld would have heard about it before it got anywhere near a city like Viridian." Namba said bluntly as Giovanni nodded.

"Hibernation could have let it sleep away the centuries, the passage from fact to myth to legend might be responsible but what woke it I doubt we will ever know. But you wanted to stay for another reason." Giovanni declared.

"Silver, you've kept him at the Plateau, haven't you?" Namba said bluntly, causing Giovanni to meet Namba's eyes with a glare.

"If this thing spreads to the Plateau I will need to know and if there's a Chimera between there and Viridian then travel is a risk I won't subject my Child to." Giovanni said frostily as Namba stood up and stretched.

"Well my student will give you an earful when he hears about this so I save my breath and advise you to ready some hearing aids for yourself. And this operation is just what I need to relax after my last project's results; they say that Alto Mare has wonderful restaurants, I'll let you know about the plays so you might want to take your lover to." Namba said over his shoulder as he left.

Giovanni sat and fumed. _Silver will give me an earful when he hears about this but I will deal with him. But they'll a sister, that's not in their files, why, did they hide it, was it part of a plan? I think I have a mission for those three._ He sighed and he reached over and activated his intercom.

"Miranda, tell the team researching Annie and Oakley to check into their family history. I recently learned that they were sisters, and last I checked they were listed as having separate last names. Also contact Carr, I have a special mission for his team."

Jacquelin snarled to himself as members of Tea Gia watched him, he could feel some their eyes on him as he moved through the halls. The dual he had lost a few days ago still left a bad taste in his mouth, if Sylvestre hadn't had a new golem and used his Pokémon's move to recharge the golem's attack he would have won that battle, an inventive strategy at least. A good days training to cover some gaps in his team is just what he needed to handle. He saw a few of the Ladies and unaligned Knights in the hallway look at him with respect and mused to himself that at least he was able to salvage his standing among the others. He grumbled to himself as he walked through the halls when a voice caused him to stop

"So have you remade your Grand Compensating yet Jacy?" A deep voice called out from behind him. Turning he saw a heavyset man in a purple robe with a black beard and a bald head staring at him, two Knights behind him. . _Of course it's that fatty. What does this fanatic want, to bother me about the Great Fairy or whatever he worships in the nude? I thought he was dead._

"If it isn't the failure that lost a duel to Sylvestre and myself, where did you slither out from?" Jacquelin asked as he saw that only the man's eyes only grew harder. _Perhaps that old fool actually learned to hold his temper._

"You lost to him too you, but I at least was able to keep my golem in one piece." Jacquelin cried as people started to look towards them.

"Yes because you surrendered when the fight turned against you, I fought until the end Mathis, can you say that about any of your battles?" Jacquelin said as he turned and walked away.

As Mathis fumed as he watched Jacquelin walk away from him. _That heretic, he's up to something and I'm sure it's against the interests of the Queen, I just don't know what. Perhaps a talk with the queen's seneschal is in order, maybe he could help me._

Jacquelin walked through the halls as he went downward, deep in thought. _I can't believe that bottom feeder is back, I was sure he was on a hunt for a few new Fairy types for the breeders to use. This is worse than a lost duel, but I can at least say that he's not involved in that._

Jacquelin walked until he reached the final inhabited level in the mountain. He walked past the duengeons and shot a look at the guards as he passed until he finally found the door he was looking for.

"Taillefer, has my Sword been reforged yet you fool?!" Jacquelin bellowed when he opened the door to Taillefer's laboratory. A figure in a green robe looked up from a bench where he was writing in a notebook. He jumped and dashed in front of Jacquelin and bowed to him.

"It should be finished soon master, however on a lighter note my experiment to improve our new golems looks like it might work. I didn't use it on the Grand Sword of course my lord." Taillefer said hastily at Jacquelin's look.

"I care not for that you fool, when will my Sword be ready?" Jacquelin snarled as he grabbed Taillefer by his robe and lifted him up.

"Soon master, it just has to finish powering up. Infact it will probably be finished once you walk to the chamber, and I just recharged a Stalker, why don't you take it and go have a nice hunt." Taillefer stammered as he gave a shaky smile. Jacquelin looked at him and threw him against the table before he stalked towards his golem

"Weak minded fool." He sneered as he walked off.

After Taillefer heard the doors to the outside open he got up and a look of rage appeared on his face. He drew a knife from one of his sleeves and threw it at one of the walls. He walked to the wall and put his hand on a stalagmite and channeled some Aura into it, opening a hidden door. He entered a chamber with a runic circle in the center and a book on a pedestal to the side.

"That stupid, idiotic, over prideful baboon. I can't wait until I can end him. Once my Daggers and my Controllers are ready I'll slice that fool to ribbons and then I'll have his Sword finish him off." Taillefer muttered as he walked to the pedestal and opened the book to a drawing of a stone golem with two blades for arms. _Soon, very soon I'll be able to show them all what my power truly is, soon I will rule._

Taillefer stalked through the woods with his Shiftry, a new Grand Sword and a Knight Stalker walking after him. He had moved out to of the mountain entered the forest and had started to move in the direction of Pewter City when he had spotted the tracks of a boar, and had tracked it, its tusks would be for the Healers or the Smiths and the meat would add some taste to the broth and soup. As he entered a clearing he stopped and looked around, dropping to a knee to look at the marks around the clearing, spotting the signs of a battle and something was dragged away. _I'm too close to the mountain, if something is hunting around here I need to know what or who is behind this, if its people from_ _ **that**_ _place then the Queen is in danger._

He his party through the woods as his Shiftry was watching their backs while his two golems marched along, content on what they could sense. After a while they came across a pound, blood on the ground and marks showed the signs of a great battle, some trees had burn marks and rocks were in pieces. _This place, I think I tracked a deer to this place once before, I saw a few packs of Pokemon using this as a water source, so the attacks are explained, but what could have attacked such a large grouping?_ As he looked about and tried to figure out what had happened his Shiftry touched his arm, he turned and noticed a mist that was coming out of the trees behind him. He didn't react as the mist enveloped his party besides gaining a flat look.

"So did you know about his new golem or were you as shocked as I was?" He asked flatly as a musical laugh came out of the mists as he started to frown.

"I did warn you that you shouldn't bother that one, and you lost your Sword to the battle. But his new hunter was a delightful surprise, I merely saw that he would defeat you the next time you would challenge him." A voice called from the mist behind him. Jacquelin turned toward the voice and saw a figure that seemed to materialized out of the mists. She was a tall woman with a voluptuous figure wearing a black clock that covered her whole body with an opening that showed the valley of her cleavage and head, her lush lips were painted a dark blue and her blue eyes seemed to shine with mischief.

"What do you want now old woman?" Jacquelin said as his Shiftry moved around to give itself room to maneuver and fire at the figure.

"Muuu, must you always have to harp on my age whenever we see each other dear boy?" She asked as she shook her head.

"Given how we've interacted I think I'm entitled to put my blade through your black heart." He said with a snarl as he put his hand on his sword. She didn't react but gave off an air of disappointment.

"I have always tried to help in every one of our encounters." She countered as he crossed her arms.

"You've helped yourself, you have never helped me." He declared with a firm voice.

"That is what you can see, but not what was. But if you must know I came to warn you stay close to your mountain, things are awakening in this forest, forces that if you meet them, go not for the left but the right, that will kill them." She said as she glowed blue before she disappeared into the mists which broke apart a few minutes later.

"Why does she always have to leave with that nonsense every time, I mean really, does she practice that stuff or something?" He asked his Pokémon who only had a sheepish look on its face. He shook his head and walked off into the trees, paying attention to the marks on the ground, following them.

Hearing a cry ahead of them he moved silently through the bush and looked upon the scene before him with shock. A wooden man with multiple plant vines for a left arm had them wrapped around a dear that was struggling away from it while a lupine like creature made of wood with a large flower on its back and was stalking towards a doe protecting a younger deer without horns. _What are these things, Grass Chimera usual have a flower and are partly organic, these are wholly made of wood. If their bodies don't destroy themselves after death I have to take it back so that means the Stalker needs to stay back to carry it if this thing takes out my Sword, so that means_

"Shiftry, take the four leg, long range strikes. Knight Stalker, stand guard. Grand Sword, heart strike on the woodman after I cut the vines." Jacquelin said coldly as he drew his sword and started to glow pink before he disappeared. He appeared with his sword raised beyond the woodman a few seconds before the vines holding the deer were sliced in two and a green liquid gushed from the vines still attached to the woodman. The deer fell onto its hunches while the Shiftry jumped over it and opened its mouth, firing large glowing yellow seed at the lupine like creature, forcing it away from the doe and its fawn. The woodman turned towards Jacquelin when the Grand Sword impaled it through the right side of its back. Jacquelin gave a small smirk and turned towards the lupine before noises caused him to turn and see that the woodman was still moving and its left arm glowed green before it swung it into the Grand Sword, forcing it backwards and losing its grip on its sword. Jaquelin stared in shock at the glow the Chimera had on its arm. _That's an Aura Technique! How can a Chimera use Aura Techniques and how can it still stand! My Grand Sword had to of hit its heart, humanoid Chimera follow the same layout so the heart has to have been on its left…._

"'go not for the left but the right', oh she was talking about this thing! Oh you are always such a pain you old bitch!" He snarled as he raised his blade and charged at the woodman and slashed at the ordinary arm, only for his sword to clash the blade sticking of the woodman's chest as it twisted its body toward him. Jacquelin shot backwards and spared a glance towards his Shiftry and saw it was firing seeds at the lupine creature while dodging two vines it had sprouted from its flower. _I can't let these things take control of this battle, I need to step up and gain back momentum, I only need part of one of these as proof anyway._

"Shiftry use Brick Break to break that thing in two! Grand Sword, get behind it, grab your sword and bisect it to the right!" Jacquelin ordered as he dodge the woodman's vines. Shiftry shot forward toward the lupine creature as is arms started to glow white and swung its right arm down in front of the creatures flower and smashed its arm through the creature's body, snapping it in two. The woodman started to back away when it noticed it was alones and its legs started to glow green and after it stomped down a wall of roots formed between Jacquelin and his team, blocking the Chimera from view.

"NO! Shiftry, break it down!" Shiftry shot forward as its arms regained their white glow and slammed its arms against the roots, shattering them and revealing that the chimera had escaped. He rushed towards the tree line and saw that the woodman had left no trace of its passing.

"DAM IT! It escaped with that blade and I can't tell where it went. Well at least I have proof of what I fought, that something." He turned and released that the three dears had escaped when the woodman made its wall. His Shiftry looked sheepish and he sighed

"You let them go didn't you?" He asked rhetorically as he looked at his Shiftry before he faced palmed

"Grand Sword, grab the part with the flower, Shiftry grab the other, lets return to base. This hunt was a bust but at least we have something." He said as he looked at the corpse of the wood creature.

Gabby smiled as she walked through the festival in Fuchsia City wearing a red Furisode. She had on bright red lipstick and had on green gemstone earrings. She was so glad she had transferred to the station in Celadon City, getting home to Fuchsia for the festival was so easy. And she blushed when she looked at what she was wearing. _Maybe if I'm lucky this will be the last time I will be 'able' to wear a Furisode to a festival._ She giggled to herself as she walked through the festival, a spring in her step as she moved. Her eyes looked around for her date, but she couldn't see the him anywhere around the fair. She was starting to wonder if she was at the wrong part of the city when a voice called to her from behind.

"Oh there you are Gabriela-san, how are you enjoying the festival?" The question caused her to turn and smile seeing Janine wearing a black Furisode and her brother Koga was wearing a black formal kimono Koga had a lantern a stick in his hand.

"Gabby-onee-chan you look amazing!" Janine said when she saw the figure Gabby gave off with her makeup, earrings and Furisode. Gabby smiled when she saw her friends, she had known Koga for years and had known Janine since she was born.

"Thanks Janine-chan, have either of you seen your cousin Kotaro around, he wanted to talk with me." She asked as Koga looked thoughtful.

"I think I saw him heading towards the cliffs, I know I saw him put something in his pockets earlier now that I think about it." Koga said with a smile on his face. Janine looked at her brother with a thunderstruck expression on her face before she started to squeal and jump around a bit. Koga looked at his sister and laughed a little at her actions with a smile on his face.

"Oonee-chan, do you think he'll ask you?" Janine asked as she beamed at Gabby who only sent a small smile towards Janine.

"I'm hoping he will; imouto-chan." Gabby said as she blushed and held her face.

"Good Luck Gabby-onee-chan! Good Luck!" Jaine called out as Gabby walked away. After a few minutes she stopped before the memorial of the 15th Invasion. She shivered as she remembered that night nine years ago, when she and Kotaro had fought back to back to defend the people covering in the gym. Kotaro had been injured and had stayed behind when the group gathered had attacked the beast in its lair, he blamed himself for not being there but she was glad he was still around to blame himself. She bowed and lit one of the candles and said a prayer for the departed and walked towards the ocean.

She smiled when she saw Kotaro standing by the edge of the cliff in his red kimono, his shoulder length black hair waving in the wind as the moonlight shined down on him, a wave cresting just beyond him. Gabby felt her heart beat faster as she looked at her date. She saw he was nervous and she hoped it was for the reason she thought it was.

He turned towards her with a smile when she reached him she felt something wet on her face.

Her eyes snapped as she shot up from where she had been lying. A Granbull wearing a collar was standing over her while a Machamp with a wet rag was in the process of washing her face. When she sat up both of them jumped back and looked at her with concern.

"What the, I was…. a dream, a wonderful dream. How did…that thing in the forest. Where am I?" She wondered as she looked around, she was on a couch in a room with dark red walls, a table with chairs and beside the two Pokémon she had noticed the room was empty of anyone else.

"Reporter-Girl awake, Darky Darky will be happy!" An electric and scratchy voice said playfully from the direction of the Granbull. Gabby whipped her head and only saw the Pokémon and looked around for

"Where are you, where am I?" Gabby demanded as she looked around and tried to find anyway she could use to escape.

"Far then you think, and in a safe place. And you'll stay here until Darky Darky gets back." She turned her head and finally noticed the speaker on the collar around the Granbull's neck. When she processed the words her face started to redden as a glare formed on her face.

"You don't know who the hell you're holding so how do you think I'll stay here." Gabby snarled as she started to reach for a nearby chair before what was said next stopped her cold.

Gabriela 'Gabby' Jones, age 21. Currently a Reporter for the Daily TomesNews Company. Official sent on assignment here in Viridian City to report on the League's project to deal with the incoming Hurricane. Grew up in Fuchsia City, trained in the Fuchsia Gym in the self-defense course, all people thought she would become one of the Gym's rising stars until she started to learn Journalism after the 15th Invasion was dealt with. Moved to Hoenn at age 17 and got a job at the Daily Tomes Slateport City branch until she was transferred to their main broadcast studio until she was transferred to the Saffron branch earlier this year." The voice said as Gabby paled at what she heard.

"Who? How the hell do you know… Where are you, wait a minute, your Happy Grandbull aren't you? I've been trying to find you for a few months since I heard about you!" Gabby said in shock as she looked at the collar around the Granbull's neck.

"Yeah, I know. You've actually come closer than most do when they try to find me. So, what do you want?" Happy's voice dropped the playfully aspect as the Grandbull wearing the collar looked apologetic at her.

"I wanted you to help me find out about a certain organization that I've been hunting for a while now, ever since…wait! That man called me Gabbs! Only one man ever called me that! All this time he's been alive. Why didn't he come back to us, why'd he let everyone thing he was dead, why'd he never come back to me?" Gabby whispered as she sank to her knees and held herself as memories of just what had happened to her yesterday came rushing back to her as she started to cry. She had seen _that_ symbol on a few trainers and she had tracked them to a motel and had seen _Karin of the Elite Four_ come in and just start to command them, and they had listened without a word. She had been so shocked that she had gotten discovered and was brought right up to Karin herself and she told them to kill her! And they had obeyed without a single thought. Whoever those bastards were _Karin_ was one of their leaders, and _Kotaro was alive_.

A tan hand grabbed a piece of pizza and looked at Gabby on the monitor as she held herself. The person sitting before the monitors was a young girl who looked to be under thirteen years old dressed in dark shorts and a white shirt. She had red short hair and was wearing a pair of goggles above her eyes.

"I told bro he should have made contact with his family and her, but no he decide not to, and I told him it would blow up in his face but no, he had to leave the reporter alone." She said as she turned towards a pale grey feline Pokémon eating a slice of pizza and sighed when she saw that her Espurr was looking towards a white board on a wall behind them. She noticed her Pokémon turn and gestured back towards the wall and she frowned at it.

"There is no way, come on you can't be serious, the chances of that being the case… Fine, Fine! I'll ask her. Sometimes I wonder whose training who around here girl." She grumbled to herself as she turned on a microphone and speech distorter.

"This organization, the symbol wouldn't be a Pokéball on a shield before a sword would it?" Happy's question caused Gabby to snap out of her depression and look towards the Fairy type with the collar on.

"Yes it is, why?" Gabby said before a part of the wall in front of her opened and Happy poked her head out and smirked at the look on Gabby's face.

"Yeah, I'm a kid, surprised the best hacker in Kanto is so young? So let's talk about the people who Kotaro says created the Chimera behind the 15th Siege and what we've been doing to fight them. And the name is Sarah 'Happy Grandbull" Del Electros, Kotaro's segregate sister and minder as far as I'm concerned, nice to meet you." Sarah said as Gabby just stared open mouthed at the young girl before her, shocked beyond belief at just who Happy Grandbull turned out to be.

Brock led the way up the mountain's forested path on his Steelix with a frowned on his face. He looked back and saw that Yuji was right behind him on his Tauros with Salma, Kunz and Agalia on Salma's Onix, for some reason Yuji preferred to ride on his own Pokémon but that didn't matter. So far since they had reached the mountain range they hadn't met any local resistance from either Pokémon or animals and that worried him. The man problem most people had by traveling on foot or 'mon was that their strength was a challenge for the 'locals', the number of times they were jumped when he was traveling with Ash and company, if he had a hundred Pokédollar for every time that happened, he would have been able to move to Alola for school instead of Viridian. He was so deep in thought he never noticed Yuji had urged his Tauros fast until they were alongside Steelix until he heard a whistle and her turned and saw Yuji geseturing that he wanted to talk so he patted his Steelix's head and it lowered its 'head' until he was closer to the ground and Yuji.

"The lack of resistance making you nervous too boss?" Yuji asked quietly as he looked around.

"Could be anything, the spore could have gotten to them too. But that doesn't account for the lack of animals; I know that a wolf pack was sighted around here just last week. And listen" Brock said softly. Yuji looked around and started to grow more concerned not noticing what Brock had picked up on.

"What, I can't see anything or hear….where are the other animals, I can't even hear a single insect. This isn't natural, its fear, it has to be." Yuji said as he locked eyes with Brock.

"And that means this might be a **lot** worse than my worst ideas. If this started yesterday and whatever this is, its spread faster than anything I know." Brock said grimly.

"Yeah, how much longer until we get to our first camp location anyway? And the other two, where'd they come from? I know they said they were hunters but…." Yuji looked over his shoulder, seeing Salma laugh at a joke one of the others told. Brock started to grow worried when he saw the look in Yuji's eyes.

"What do you know about them?" Brock questioned quitly as he fought his reaction to look behind him. Yuji looked forward and took a deep breath

"My brother and I, well our parents divorced when we were young. Mom got custody of my brother and they went to Saffron city and he was discovered as a low level Psychic so he studied at the gym, one day he woke up a bound we devolved in the womb, we were, we were fraternal twins and mom and dad never even told us the other was alive. To make a long story short he's in the League, he's one of the people who overlook Chimera Hunters and he's told me about the other twins and he's never told me anything about them." Yuji said as he looked around when he signaled his Taruos to stop. Yuji jumped off his Pokemon and then rushed to a nearby bush. Brock had been looking ahead and started to speak again.

"That doesn't mean anything….what the, Yuji? All Stop! Defensive formation! Yuji, what have you found?" Brock cried out when he noticed Yuji had gotten off his Pokémon as the party got off their Pokemon and started to look around. Yuji looked over his shoulder with a frown on his face.

"This bush here, some of its leaves darker than others on the same, I thought it might be a multination at first, but then I saw a drop drip off a leaf, its blood. The area around the bush is all scoffed up, signs of a battle here. And look over there, webbing of some kind." Yuji pointed towards a nearby tree that had webbing of some kind on the lower hanging branches. Brock got out a sample container and walked towards the tree, stopping and looking at the strands of the organic material.

"A few hours old I guess, less than a day at the most I would say. I can't tell if this was used in battle, as a trap or as a home and then the battle happened. And it is impossible to tell just what created this, so I think I should probably take a sample." Brock muttered to himself as he removed a pair of tongs from his backpack and put some of the webbing into a container. After which he removed a Pokénav and check their location. _We made better time than I thought we would, but that has to do with the fact we haven't been attack even once since we left the city. But that only raises more questions about the spread of this thing. I don't know if this is worse than I feared, if whatever this is from is hunting, what will it do when it's out of food in the mountains?_ Brock brooded as he lost all focus until….

"How close are we to our first waypoint Doctor?" Kunz voice behind him caused him to jump and turn, seeing that Kunz had walked behind him when his mind was elsewhere. He spotted Salma and Agalia looking around the other side of the trail and turned and saw Yuji looking around the bushes and looked behind them.

"Closer than I thought we would be giving the time we spent moving. We already have a sample of something that might be from the same thing as the spore. But we should continue on, we need to find out what is happening on this mountain." Brock said as he walked back towards his Steelix but before he could mount up….

"Brock, everyone, get over here, now!" Yuji call had a trace of shock and horror in his voice that caused the others to rush over to him as he was looking behind a bush. When Brock got there he saw a blood trail with marks on the ground around the blood going up the mountains and he looked towards the peak wondering just what was happening on it.

"This is at least a day or so old going by the color and the marks I think something dragged a body up the mountain, a body of what I can't even guess." Salma's dry voice caused them to look at her and she looked away with a blush on her face.

"What, I like crime dramas and I investigated the science behind a few episodes I liked okay?!" She exclaimed in response to the looks she was getting.

"That interesting and all but someone needs to go back to the city and tell Jenny what we just found, any volunteers?" Brock's question caught them all flat. Agalia gave a small smile when Yuji spoke.

"Salma, your Onix knows how to tunnel, right? And it's all downhill, and you know Jenny personally don't you?" Yuji cut in sharply as he looked straight at Salma's Onix.

"Yeah he does and she's a friend, but why does that matter?" Salma demanded as they looked at Yuji.

"And you've trained him to be one of the sharpest and longest shoots in the gym too. Something that would help any defense of Viridian wouldn't it?" Yuji said as he met her eyes.

"Are you saying that she should go back because she and her Pokémon would be able to defend the city better, and that Jenny would believe what she says?" Kunz said flatly as Salma started to look at her Pokémon with a deep look at her eyes.

"Not yet. We can send someone back when we reach our first campsite, by then we should have a clearer understanding of what we're up against. And a long range striker might be a bit useful tonight if we have to make a fighting retreat." Agalia cut in and Brock looked back towards Viridian City. _Yuji is right, this webbing needs to be looked over by the Doctor, but does he want to send her back because of what he said or that he doesn't trust those two and wants her out of the line of fire?_ Brock shook his head and adopted a stern look.

"I'm in charge so here's what we're doing. We stay together until morning then Salma goes back with any samples we find today. And everyone mount up, we're wasting daylight." Brock said firmly as he walked back towards his Pokemon. When he reached it he saw that it had a look of worry on its face and he put his right hand just under its eye and rubbed its cheek.

"Hey partner, it looks like we really are up the river as they say. I'm gonna need you to be ready to strike and keep your senses sharp for anything at all, okay?" Brock whispered to his Pokemon and was reward with it nodding its body. He looked back and saw that Agalia and Kunz had released their own Pokemon to ride, a Pyroar and a Rapidash respectfully and getting on his Steelix he signaled the party to move on. Not long after they were out of sight a figure dressed in black moved towards the bush they had gathered around and spent a few minutes looking about the area before he jumped into one of the trees and silently moved after the people ahead of him.

Ash walked after Pikachu as Serena and Fennekin followed behind him. So far they had dodged any wild Pokémon and animals. Ash had been expecting more but as they came towards the location they had moved through the area easier than he had thought. He turned and saw that Serena had her Fennekin walking beside her and he saw that she had her naginata out and was looking around, but then again he had his shield out.

"Hey, Serena? You holding out okay?" Ash called out to her, causing her to jump a bit and relaxed when she saw it was just Ash asking her that.

"Yeah, it's just my first quest outside a town; guess I'm just a little nervous. " Serena said with a small smile.

"You never started your journey before this year? I thought so but then I wasn't sure why you hadn't." Ash mused as he followed Pikachu.

"The Chimera attack that cost Bonnie and Clemont their mother? If it was the attack I think it was it caused a change in when Trainer could first leave on Journey's. And before now doing little jobs around town were enough for me, that and mom's training." Serena said with a small blush on her face.

"Finding a reason to go on a Journey is the most personal thing a trainer has, that it took so long to find it isn't a bad thing old friend." Ash said as he reached his for sword as they moved towards a stream.

Serena looked at Ash with a frown on her face as she moved closer to him. _I know about his mom and he's right, I just wanted to leave home and see him again. But do I want to try the gyms, do I want to try Contests, do I just want to travel? Right here, right now just what do I really want?_ Serena thought as she walked behind Ash. She saw that he had gotten out his Pokédex and looked towards the sun before he gestured towards a nearby hill.

"That's it, according to the briefing we got what we want is in a cave that on the other side of that hill." Ash said as he looked around the area, taking not of a few tree stumps and rocks, noting a few marks on them. _Why do I have a feeling that something about this quest is rotten? Wouldn't be the first time someone tried to use me to do their dirty work for them. Maybe I should check the_ Dark News _tonight, haven't check in a few days anyway._ Ash mused as he led Serena slowly into the tall grass before the hill. Ash moved slowly, his hand on his sword as they reached the base of the hill.

"Serena, go over the hill, I'll go around, and if anything tries to jump you, we'll hit it from the side." Ash said with a glare at the hill. He turned when he felt Serena's hand on his shoulder and turned to look at Serena who had a worried look on her face.

"What is it Ash, is something wrong?" Serena asked as her Fenniken started to sniff as Pikachu started to look around.

"This is too easy. Even if the person who made the quest does it on his own, even if he broke his leg I can't figure out the price he put on this, it doesn't make sense. I think we'll be okay, but it might be best if you're on overwatch with Fletchling as backup." Ash said grimly. Serena looked around and nodded to Ash before she step back to give him some room. He quickly released his other two Pokemon and gave a stern look when they turned to look at him.

"Okay guys, this is that quest I told you about last night. Froakie, you're with me and Pikachu, Flechling I need you to backup Serena and Fenniken, don't be too worried but I'm getting a bad feeling about this." Ash said as his Pokémon shared a look between them before they all nodded at him.

"Good luck Ash." Serena whispered to him as she moved towards the hill, Fenniken and Fletchling following behind her.

Ash move quickly and silently with Pikachu and Froakie alongside him. They silently made their way through the grass before they stopped within sight of the cave mouth, noticing Serena's naginata poking out of a clump of grass higher up the hill the only indicator that she was there. He used his shield to flash a signal towards her was answered by her naginata, so he moved silently into the cave. His eyes adjusted quickly and he and his partners moved slowly through the passage until they came to a chamber fill of crystal pillars with a small pool of water at the far end.Ash greeted his teeth when he noticed that most pillars were marked up with what looked like 'bite' marks and the remains of plants and fish here and there around the chamber. He turned to his two Pokémon and gestured towards a small one the right size a few feet from the entrance.

"There, hit it a foot off the floor, I'll grab it and we'll run. Froakie; get ready with your Frubbles to gum up anything that comes after us." Ash commanded as he put his shield and sword away and he and Pikachu moved forward. Pikachu's tailed turned steel grey and he jumped and cut through the crystal with a near silent slice, lucky Ash was able to grab it before it hit the ground. A sound from the direction of the pool made Ash turn and frown when he saw ripples on its surface. Carrying the crystal under one of his arms he cursed as moved toward the exit with a look over his shoulder. _This is it, one of whatever is using this cave as a home went out the back, I just hope Serena is safe, that these things go around and not over._

"Backwards strike incoming!" Ash roared out as he and his Pokemon reached the cave mouth, moments before a spiral of water shot at them.

Serena had sat on the hill and when she felt something head-butt her side she looked at her Fenniken who shot a look of concern at her. Since she and the two Fire Types had moved up the hill Ash's Fletchling had flown upwards was hovering a few feet above Serena and was looking towards the river.

"I know girl, not how I pictured my first outing with Ash to go." Serena said as she lowered her naginata and rubbed her Pokémon under her chin. _I have to tell Ash that I care about him; it's so hard to talk with him. We've been exchanging letters for years but I can't talk to him without changing the subject. I have to talk to him before we part company._

"Backwards strike incoming!" Ash's voice echoed from the cave mouth startling Serena for a few seconds before she picked up her weapon and started to move towards the cave when she felt Fletchling drop onto her shoulder and pointed its wing towards the high grass, Serena tensed when she saw the grass shake as forms moved through it.

"He was right, this was too easy. Flecthling, I think we can help Ash, but it depends on you, will you help me?" Serena said, receiving a nod from the small Flying type.

"Thank you so much, this is what I need you to do." Serena said as she smiled at Flecthling.

Ash reacted as soon as he saw the spiral of water shooting towards him, raising his shield to block it but when it hit the force pushed him back a foot. When he the water stopped he peaked behind and cursed to himself at what he saw, standing before him was a ring of 20 Bidoofs with 10 normal Bibarels behind them was a Bibarel with a cracked right incisor. As he looked around he realized just what the Quest was really about. _A pack this size with wouldn't be unknown for long, if that sculptor has been coming here they wouldn't be here unless they were the cause of his injury, so this was the twist then._ Ash thought as he looked down, smiling when he saw Pikachu start to spark and Froakie reaching for his frubbles slowly. He gestured to them to not attack and took a step forward. The Bidoofs looked at him with concern while the larger Bibarel glared at him while the smaller Bibarels formed a line between him and their Alpha

"Listen, I had no idea that this cave was your den. I just came to get this crystal and I took only the smallest one in there; you guys just let me pass and I promise I'll never come back." Ash said as he looked eyes with the pack leader. He saw hatred and distrust in its eyes and he wasn't surprised when it gestured to it followers to attack.

"Guess this is gonna be the hard way then." Ash muttered under his breath as he prepared to defend himself and his Pokémon. Before they could do move crescents of white energy hit the Bidoofs closest to Ash, causing the pack leader to look around for where the attack had come from.

"FENNIKEN AIM AT THE GRASS, HIT IT WITH EMBER!" Serena's voice called out from above before small orange sparks flew over Ash's head and caused the high grass, causing a fire to breakout all around the pack. As the Bidoofs and Bibarels started to panic Ash heard a noise to his left and saw Serena with her Fenniken running down the hill towards the trees to his right.

"Ash come on, we've got to move!" Serena voice got Ash to move again and he ran after her, his Pokémon on his heels. After a few minutes of running they had reached the road back to Santalune City they stopped and as he fought to catch his breath he looked at Serena as Fletchling landed on her shoulder and nuzzled her check.

"That fire, how do you know it won't spread?" Ash demanded as he huffed as he sent a small glare at Serena.

"I had Fletchling here create a fire break while they surround you. And with those Pokémon there fighting the flames, it should buy us some time to get away." Serena said as she smiled at Ash. Noise behind them from the direction they had run from caused them to turn their heads before Ash shoved the crystal into Serena's arms.

"Get to the city's border; I'll be right behind you. They won't back down without a fight, the four of us will hold them at bay." Ash said as Serena grew angry.

"I'm not leaving you alone Ketchum so get rid of that idea right now!" Serena snarled at Ash as she pointed her naginata at him, causing him to smirk at her.

"I thought you would say that Serena, so then; Froakie! Take the crystal from Serena and find a place to hide it before you attack, we've come too far to fail now, Serena whatever you do try not to kill them." Ash said with a serious look on his face. Froakie took the crystal and jumped into the trees just before the Bibarel with the cracked tooth charging into the clearing, 2 of the other Bibarel flanking it. Ash looked and tried to think of a strategy before he saw the three Pokémon open their mouths and a light blue ball was forming in front of them. _An Ice Beam!_ He thought with shock.

"Dodge the beams!" Ash called as he threw himself to the side before the Bibarels shot the light blue beams of a Freeze Beam that hit the ground where he had been standing. He looked up to see ice on the ground in clumps, Serena and Fenniken were on the other side of the path, Pikachu was in the middle of the clearing trying to get to him on some of the ice, slipping as he tried to move and Fletchling was hovering above the center trying to keep the entire battle in his sights. Ash noticed right away that the other 2 Bibarels were stalking towards Serena and the chipped tooth one was coming towards Pikachu, looking at what was happening, he quickly made a decision.

"Fletchling, Razor Winds on the two Bibarels, Pikachu, Thunder on the one coming at you!" Ash said as he readied his shield.

"Fenniken use Ember to attack the Bibarels attacking us!" Serena ordered as she fanatically pulled the blade off her weapon before she dropped it and twirled her new staff around. One of the two Bibarels come at them was hit in the side by Flecthling's Razor Wind and was knocked to the ground while the other jumped at Fenniken and dodge her Ember attack and was hit in its face by the side of Serena's staff.

While this happened the chipped Bibarel charged at Pikachu and dodged the yellow beam of electricity that Pikachu sent at it and hit Pikachu, sending him into a tree behind him. Before it moved to bit Pikachu it was hit by a ball of water from Froakie standing on a limb of the tree Pikachu had hit, being thrown backwards onto some of the ice.

"Froakie, great job, use Water Sphere, keep the pressure on the chipped tooth! ! Pikachu Volt Tackle! Flecthling, keep on using range strikes and Serena keep them off you! I've dealt with situations like this before; we just have to outlast them or prove we're too much for it!" Ash called out to his team. The pack leader got up and slammed its tailed onto the ice, growling as it looked around the battle. It spotted Froakie forming another water sphere and saw the Fire Fox and its trainer holding at its two soldiers at bay and dodged the charging Pikachu and grabbed its tail as it passed, throwing it onto a patch of ice near Ash.

Ash looked concerned as Pikachu tried to move on the ice. _This is just like the gym battle; I need to think of a way for Pikachu to be able to move, wait, why did that Bibarel slam its tail into the ice? It did it to steady itself, Pikachu doesn't need to move, he just needs to stay still so he can use range attacks. I was so caught up with finding a way to let Pikachu move I ignored the obvious, he needs to find a way to attack not move. That's it!_

"Pikachu, use Iron Tail to anchor yourself in place, quick! Then blast away with Thunder!" Ash called out as Pikachu stumbled again. Hearing what Ash said Pikachu understood what he had to do and when his tail started to glow white he slammed it into the ground, breaking the ice and slammed his tail into the created opening. Froakie jumped between his trainer and the Bibarel the water sphere between its hands ready to thrown. The Bibarel dodged another blast of electricity and when it saw that one of its followers was on its last legs it growled and barked a command before it ran back towards its den. The other two stumbled after their leader and Ash looked around before he started to put his weapons away. He shot a look at Serena and smirked when she started to use her staff to hold herself up as she partly collapsed, the adrenalin finally going away.

"I told you, we just had to prove that we were a harder target then it was expecting and we could force to retreat. Froakie, get the crystal and watch from above, give us a sign if you see anything coming at us. " Ash said softly, causing Froakie dashed off to get the crystal.

Serena looked at Ash and she was shocked at how calm he was. _How can he be so calm about this, just what has he done on his journey that he was able to handle something like this, just what has he done over the years?_ Serena looked at Ash as he took the crystal from Froakie before it jumped back into the trees.

"Anyhow Serena, we might want to come back if what I think happens." Ash's words caused her to look at him in total shock as he started to walk back towards the Town.

"If what happens Ash?" Serena wondered as she moved to catch up with him. She was answered when he turned his face and she saw a look of worry in her eyes.

"Something I'm hoping I'm wrong about, but if I'm right, then it's going to be bad for that pack." Ash said solemnly as he walked.

"…Now let me sleep you stupid Fairy." Ginny's voice said as the recording finished. Amanda, Albia, Pinsir, Flaaffy were standing around the table in Amanda's kitchen. Albia had told Amanda she need to talk to her and to give them a chance had invited her and Delia over for dinner after the lunch rush was over. Giving the hurricane that was coming towards them Amanda had convinced Delia that it would be best if she and Albia slept over at her house just in case something happened giving how far out of town Delia's house was, and had said that after supper the three of them would figure out where they would each sleep and what supplies they should have to feed them and their Pokémon. Delia had agreed and offered to grab some takeout before she went over, the time before Delia brought the food over was giving Albia the chance to talk to Amanda about what her team had discovered the night before.

"I always knew something was wrong with that stupid Mime, I just knew it!" Amanda snarled as she slammed a fist on the table, causing the dishes to jump and Albia to look at her with a worried look on her face.

"And _she's_ involved, by the Types I had hopped I was wrong, but she is one of them. And what's worse I think it might be something more, maybe something to control her." Albia said as she paled in fear. The tone of Albia's voice caused Amanda to look at her and she winced inside. _The kid had to be right about the bitch, but dam it if we can do anything we had to know. And a 'control' would explain a lot of phone calls I've received from D in the winter._

"Don't worry kid, you and me will start to think up ways around that mime. If we can get it away from Delia and into the Center, we can share this with Joy and she can arrange for it to stay in the center long enough for us to try to find a way to help Delia." Amanda consoled Albia, sending a smile her way.

"But when Mrs. Oak returns she'll know something is up when it contacts her." Albia said as she rubbed her arms.

"That's only if that thing thinks something is up, if we pull it off right it won't know anything is wrong." Amanda said with a smirk as she looked out her window and saw Delia walking towards her carrying the takeout with the in question walking beside her, a goofy grin on its face. _I knew that thing's smile was fake, I need to look into getting something to one-shot that thing if I have to, maybe get a few more members for my team, maybe a Poison or Steel type._ Amanda mused as she turned back towards Albia.

"Delia's here, lets save this until later kid, and try to keep an eye on that Fairy." Amanda said as she walked towards the door to the road.

"Hey Delia, glad you finally made it here with the food, running into a sleeping Snorlax or something?" Amanda's voice rang out from the front as Albia started to think. _Why did they tamper with her memories, they went right to kill me when they corned me, just what are they after?!_ _But I can try to think thought this later, I can't let that Mr. Mime know I'm onto to it, acting classes, don't fail me please._ Albia force a natural looking smile onto her face and tried to handle what was to come.

"…And finally, the outbreak in Viridian City among the Pokémon seems to be worse then what was first thought. After the infected Pokémon seemed to be getting better after but 12 hours after symptoms started to die down they return worse than the first time. And most surprising fact of this infection is when the second attack hits Pokémon are unable to be recalled to their Pokéballs. Slyphco, the creators of the modern Pokéballs have not released any comments or statements as of this broadcast. The Viridian Center advises all trainers in the Viridian to Pewter area to keep their Pokémon inside or in their Pokéballs during the Hurricane if possible and to keep them outside as short a time as can be done. And finally the Viridian Airport will be shutting down for the next weak as repair work is done do to the recent attack and as they begin preparing for the hurricane that is coming towards the region, experts still don't know if it will hit the coast or die out. And that's the news as of Six O'clock here in Kanto; join us again at ten for Kanto Late Night for all developing stories." The reporter on the TV droned on as the three women and their Pokémon finished eating. Delia looked at the TV with a look of worry on her face.

"I heard about the outbreak yesterday before I went to sleep, I thought it was just one of the yearly infections, but it sounds serious." Amanda said with a hint of worry in her voice.

"You know, a friend of Ash's is studying at Viridian, maybe I'll call him and see how bad this is." Delia muttered as Amanda realized just who she was talking about.

"What kind of sickness could keep a Pokémon from being recalled?" Albia question with a look of horror on her face as she tried to think about what she had just heard.

"I'm not sure really, that's something I never thought I'd hear about really. The concept of Pokéballs are so old; I don't think I've ever heard about something like that happening. I don't know what I would do if my own Pokémon got sick like that, maybe we should put them **all** into their Pokéballs during the hurricane." Amanda said with a hint of worry in her voice as she looked at her own Pokémon finishing their food. Albia was watching and saw the way its eyes had widened. _It doesn't want to be put into its Pokéball, but why, wait Amanda told me Sabrina a PSYCHIC tried to help her but failed, even in Johot we've heard about her power I need to talk to Amanda about Delia's treatments, if it was with her for them we might know why they didn't work._ Albia thought as she looked at the Psychic-Fairy as thoughts swam through her head _._ As the three women talked and planed how they would handle the Hurricane approaching they never noticed that a Weavile had been eavesdropping on their conversation since Albia had started playing what her Pinsir had record the night before.

"Stupid! Idiotic Buffoons!" A glass was thrown against the wall as Rex screamed. Their spy at the police station had just sent word that three members of his gang had been captured by the Coorodinators he had sent them after. A mention that two were knocked out by a trainer with a Pikachu had sent his sister squealing and she had run off with her own followers behind her. He stalked out of the room he was in, marching through the building with no destination in his mind as he stalked with a look of rage on his face until he grabbed one of his followers before they could get away from him.

"You, has my brother left yet!? And where's my sister?" He growled at the teen in his grip. The trainer gulp nervuiosly and stammered until he found his voice.

"Yes my lord, he left hours ago with his three followers. Your sister and her hand maidens have retired to their chambers, shall I go and get her for you?" The trainer asked, hoping he would be able to get away from his master. Rex threw his minion to the floor and stalked off towards the throne room. _Of course that witch is in her rooms, probably praying to that altar of hers. And one of the 'Riders had to have been captured while he was wearing my colors! When he cracks that outsider bitch Jenny will have all the evidence she needs to raid us and then it's over! I might need to start shifting focus towards the fallback site now._ He thought to himself as he walked towards his throneroom. He entered and saw more of the woman with empty eyes and serveing trainers and stalked towards his throne and sat apon it, taking a goblet a woman with pink hair in rings carried to him on a tray.

"Your well o Lord?" She asked as she bowed towards the throne.

"Get Damian now, I need to talk with him." He ordered as he looked around. The chamber and

"AND ALL OF YOU CLEAR OUT, NOW!" He barked, causing the room to empty of others leaven him alone with his thoughts. _Everything has gone so wrong in the last year. That bitch was almost set up to give that fool no choice but to have me become the gym leader, but no my connections to the gang had to have been revealed by that bitch's sister! I'll get her, those two brats will be nothing more than toys when I'm done with them. And those brats who helped capture my men, I don't care what that brats done in the League, he'll be broken and beggin for death when I'm finished, maybe I'll even kill his Pokémon in front of him before I kill him._ He was broken from his thoughts when he heard the doors open and looked up to see the bandage covered form of Damian walk towards him, stopping before the stage.

"You wanted to see me O Noble one?" Damian rasped as he bowed before Rex.

"I'm sure you've heard what happened last night, I need you to handle it, if any of them are close to cracking, _silence them."_ Rex ordered calm as he looked at Damian. Damian looked thoughtful and chuckled sinisterly.

"The… _conditions_ of our agreement do allow that service to be given O' lord, but I will of course have to tell the council just what happened to cause such an action to be needed." Damian said, causing Rex to scowl and stare with hard eyes at him.

"What happened is that some stupid outsiders got involved with something that they shouldn't have. What happened is that some fools weren't up for the mission I gave them and those two will be punished when if they survive. If you want more talk to my sister about it." Rex said as he pointed back towards the front of the building. Damian bowed and walked off. Neither noticed that the girl with pink hair had been listening from the sides, neither saw the wicked smirk on her face as she drew out a small double pyramid.

Damian walked through the building until he reached a staircase guarded by two girls wearing light green dress holding crossed spears. When he approached them they moved the spears and he walked up the stairs into the second floor, here other girls in dress with normal eyes walked about and laughed, Venomoths, Butterflys and Beautiflys flying about the room while Joltiks and Spinaraks moved about the walls. He walked until he came to a tarriance garden. Rebecca was tending to a rosebush, a Vespiquen and two Beedrills were hovering around her as she worked while here and there Spinarak moved about the garden or rested on webs spun on the walls.

"How can I help you, _Damian_?" She asked without turning around.

"The captured gangers, who gave them to Jenny?" Damian rasped as he meet her eyes.

"It was to get the girl who beat my little brother, can't have the _heir_ be beaten now can he and get this, the person who came to the rescue was none other than Ash Ketchum!" Rebecca said with a sequel as she turned towards Damian.

"He's in Kalos!?" Damian questioned in a high pitched feminine voice.

"I Know right?! We have to tell the other girls he's here!" Rebecca said as she put her arms around Damian and jumped around with 'him'. Damian extracted himself from her embrace and coughed.

"It's best I don't react like that when your brother could learn, that stupid _Misogynist_ scum could hear us." Damian said with a rasp as he looked around.

"Oh yes, I don't want to give the game way at this point of the plan. Recruiting in the outer villages is going perfectly, and the repairs to the 'fallback' are just about finished, if I have to _escape_ with my girls tomorrow then I'll only be set back a few months at most. This has been such a pain but it keeps my brother happy and he is the perfect pawn when he is happy, don't you agree my friend?" Rebecca said with a wicked laugh as one of her hand maidens came towards them carrying a tray with two goblets on it.

"Yes, the best pawns are those who think they're in charge. What about your younger brother; what will you do about him?" Damian asked as 'he' took a drink from one of the goblets.

"Oh, I thought that maybe I'd see what happens over the next few days and decide what to do then. Perhaps he'll meet a _chimera_ or some other threat on his task that will end the problem for me." Rebecca said with a sinister smirk on her face as she looked over Santalune City, none of them noticed one of the Spinarak on the walls was unusually still that its head was pointed straight at them.

Lilith smiled as she walked through the Town with Nimue chatting about nothing as they gave off an air of laughter as they walked with bags in their arms, smiles on their faces. If anyone was watching them no one would think that the two of them were on edge, waiting for the people who were following them to jump them.

"I told you that store would have the fabric you needed Nimue! And after what happened last night some retail therapy was just what we needed girl!" Lilith said ditzy as they walked through the town. Thankful whoever was following them thought they were the masters of spycraft that when she had stumbled before she was hoping that they hadn't seen her release her Misdreavus who was following them within the ground, ready to strike when they reached a place

"And that top you got is beautiful Lilly! You know that boy might like how you look in it!" Nimue needed her but Lilith could see that her eyes were looking all over, taking note of everyone walking around the city, trying to find a place to turn and strike at the people following them. Nimue realized that Lilith was leading her towards one of the battlefields near the edge of town.

"Oh stop it you! be ready, as soon as we enter the battlefield start running towards the outskirts of town, Ash and Serena should be coming back soon, they can help us." Lilith whispered softly when she leaned towards Nimue and put her free arm around her shoulder.

"Oh come one Lilly! I saw the way you looked at him! you think they're buying this?" Nimue whispered softly as they moved.

"Oh please don't start! yeah, I think they are we just have to hope others don't join them, my team and I trained to handle multiple opponents once or twice before. And we could signal for help when the sky darkens but I doubt we have the time." Lilith said as she looked into the window of a boutique, and noticed the figures following them wearing green jackets moving closer to them.

"Ah come on Lilly, if I can't needle a friend who went shopping with me, who can I needle! do you think we could make it out of the city, maybe run towards your friends if we try?" Nimue whispered as she forced herself to laugh.

"So how about you, any crushes I should know about girlfriend! I don't know, all I know that Ash and Serena went on a gathering quest towards Vaniville Town and we're heading in the same direction, and the quest has a time limit of 2 days and Ash was sure he could handle it in one with Serena's help." Lilith whispered as Nimue noticed that other people beside those following them were starting to disappear as they neared the town's border.

"Okay, enough about boys!" Nimue said with a laughed Nimue tensed when Lilith tightened her grip on Nimue's shoulder. She looked at Lilith and noticed her eyes were hard and she was looking straight ahead. They were coming upon a Pokémon battlefield with a break wall two feet high for spectators to stay behind and a bench along the far side and with a start Nimue realized that Lilith was leading her towards the field's center.

"Aww, do you have crush on somebody back home? How about a battle back at the Center and you can tell me all about him over supper? be ready, when I call out 'now' close your eyes and release your Pokémon once it dies down, you'll know what I mean." Lilith whispered as they walked Lilith stopped and dropped the bags she was carrying and turned towards Nimue with a smile on her face.

"Okay but I should worn you my skills at contests don't affect my battle skills! I'm ready, when do we strike?" Nimue whispered as she dropped her own bags.

"Say how about we have that battle NOW! DAZZLING GLEAM, FULL SPECTRUM!" Lilith called out as threw herself at Nimue, forcing her to the ground and covering both her eyes and Nimue's with her hands as she squeezed her eyes shut. Even with her eyes shut she still saw a flash of light that stunned her until she felt a hand pull her up.

"NOW RUN, I'LL HOLD 'EM!" Lilith cried as she threw out two Pokéballs that released a Nidorina and Liepard that formed a V with her Misdreavus at the front. In around Lilith and her team were four trainers, two of them had on light green jackets over their cloths while the last two also had jade green bandannas in addition to their jackets.

"I can't believe these two bimbos were able to fight off our guys. We should just rush'em and end this." A trainer wearing a light green jacket muttered to the person walking next to him as they followed the two girls responsible for getting three of their guys arrested.

"Yeah, as soon as we get them into a pincer these two will fold like paper, right Boss?" the person answered him before asking a trainer wearing a jade bandanna the two of them were following as he watch the girls, ready to capture them.

"I don't know I don't like something about this, you fall back and follow from the right, one of them's up to something, I can feel it." The trainer wearing a bandanna said as their targets walked onto a Pokemon battlefield and two more members of their gang started to move at the girls from their left side. His orders had just been carried out, the trainer he signaled out had just dropped back and down to use the wall to

"Hey boss, ain't we at the town's border?" the first trainer asked, causing their boss to freeze and realize exactly where their target had led them to.

"Say how about we have that battle NOW! DAZZLING GLEAM, FULL SPECTRUM!"

The one of the girls they were following cried as she threw herself at the other before a Misdreavus shot up from the ground in and released flash of light that blinded them. When they finally were able to see they saw the Water trainer running out of the city limits and the other trainer was standing her ground and had a Nidorina, a Liepard and a Misdreavus before her in a V formation and she drew forth a whip. He shook his head and noticed that the trainer he had ordered to go around was already after the other one, maybe they could use a hostage to get the bimbo before them to surrender.

"So is this revenge or are you guys just all gluttons for punishment?" Lilith snarled as she cracked her whip of her and looked around at the trainers before her. One of the two trainers wearing the bandannas stepped forward and drew two Pokéballs and released a Mothim and a Durant.

"It is duty that drew us here today, merely surrender and you might survive this." He said as the others released their Pokémon; a Beedril, a Paras and the other jade bandanna released a Escavalier and a Yanmega.

 _Four on one not the best odds but I've dealt with worse. If I can keep their focus on me Nimue might get away, these guys don't look like they're Aura users, well most of them anyway._ Lilith thought to herself as she looked at the four trainers with a smirk on her lips

"Sorry, but I was taught to keep fighting until the bitter end! Nidorina, Double Kick on the Paras and Solo! Misdreavus upwards and its your choice with Will-O-Wisp! Liepard use Night Slash and mix it up!" Lilith called before he team reacted to her commands. Nidorina ran and jumped at the Paras, kicking it savagely in its face and forcing it back, no sooner had she landed then she threw herself at the Mothim, forcing it to the ground. The Escavalier reacted first and tried to close with Nidorina before it was hit by blue fireballs as Misdreavus flew higher into the air. Durant charged at Nidorina but Liepard slashed at it with claws covered in a purple energy, forcing it backwards.

"Fuck we, ga!" One of the green trainers cried when Lilith's whip hit him on his chest. Lilith's whip wrapped around another of the green jackets and was dragged towards her where Lilith dealt him a savage blow, knocking him out. The others looked at her as the Paras crawled to the downed trainer and after trying to wake its trainer up jabbed at a Pokéball, retreating from battle. The others watched her run at them and drew forth staffs and

"Come on brats, who will dance the dance of battle with me!" Lilith called out with a savage grin. _I hope I caught all of their attention, if any of them went after her I hope she can fight them off._ She shook the thoughts off and focused on the battle, her team keeping the enemy Pokémon off her while she attacked the trainers.

"Beedrill, Pin Missiles!" Nimue threw herself forward as her Samurott formed a turquoise force field that blocked most of the white needles the Beedrill while her Golduck dodged a charge from a Heracross that had tried to tackle it and received a few punches in return. She had barely moved one hundred feet when the trainer who had slipped from Lilith had attacked her with two Pokémon. He ran at her with a staff raised to strike her, Nimue barely blocked with her trident as her Samurott reacted and tried to strike at the trainer attacker her but the Beedrill shot a orange beam of energy of energy that Samurott blocked with the turquoise force field but the force of the blast pushed it away from its trainer. Nimue gritted her teeth as she kicked one of his knees, and moved farther away from her team and tried to think how she could fight her way free.

"Not bad girly, maybe you might be something. But you made one big mistake when you ran." Nimue bristled and glared at her opponent.

"And that was?" She asked before a cry from her Golduck caused her to blanch when she saw that the enemy Beedrill was still sending white needles from **one** of its stingers at her Samurott while its **other** stinger was aimed at her Golduck which stunned it enough a blue energy sphere thrown by the Heracross to hit Golduck and the force of the blow sent it into a tree, knocking it out. Heracross didn't even spare a glance at its downed opponent before it charged at Samurott who met the charge with its horn and was hit with white needles from Beedrill as it maneuvered around the Protect that had Samurott had used to block its Poison Needle.

"You didn't train your team to handle duo battles girl, not that your new career will need thinking like that." Her opponent's words oozed confidence and Nimue prepared to at least take a limb or and eye before she went down.

Suddenly from the top of one of the trees two shots of a white cloudy material hit and mucked up Beedrill's wings and sent it to the ground. Before anyone could react white energy crescents from above hit Herecross, stunning it enough for Samurott to slam it against the ground. Beedrill tried to get up before it was hit by an Ember attack that knocked it out.

The bug trainer was shocked before he went dead still as a blade was put against his throat.

"And you never learned to make sure no one could stumble onto you when you're kidnapping someone." Ash said grimly as the trainer dropped his staff and raised his hands before

"Now let's not be hasty, what do I need to do to keep breathing?" The trainer asked with a shaky smile on his face. Nimue moved towards her Golduck and saw that it had only been knocked out; she rubbed its forehead and recalled it, knowing that it wouldn't get worse as long as it was in its Pokéball.

"Recall your team, before I have mine end them." Ash said grimly as Froakie jumped out of the trees and formed a sphere of water in its hands aimed at Beedrill while Samurott got off Heracross while Fletchling appeared and hovered above the downed Bug Type. Slowly he recalled his Pokemon and put their Pokéballs back onto his belt.

"So now what, I can go right?" the trainer asked as he felt the blade on his neck.

"I'm letting you live, letting you go, that's off the table." Ash said before he used his shield to knock the trainer out. Serena came out of the bushes carrying a small crystal pillar with her Fennekin at her side and looked right at Nimue.

"Nimue are you okay? What happened?" Serena asked with worry in her voice.

"Lilly and I were stalked by others like him, we lead them to a battlefield away from other people and she stayed and held them off while I escaped, I was trying to find you guys." Nimue said as she looked back towards where she had run from.

"Then, what the hell?!" Ash's words caused Nimue to turn and saw a Venomoth land on the knocked out trainer and both disappeared. Ash looked around and wasn't able to see anything until he noticed a bush rustle for a few seconds before it stopped. _These people must be more organized then I thought, or there's another player in this thing._ He met Serena's worried look and started to move in the direction Nimue was looking at.

"Come on, we need to backup Lilly, we'll deal with what **that** means after we make sure she's safe."

Lilith panted as she gazed around the battlefield. She had been able to take out three of them but her Nidorina had taken out the enemy Paras and Mothim before the Durant had knocked it out with a lucky Flash Cannon shot. Thankfully her Misdreavus had taken it out and was currently trading shots with the Escavalier as it tried to protect the Yanmega her Liepard had slashed and knocked to the ground before it had Body Slammed the Beedrill and was using Protect to keep it down. The trainer left standing was panting like her but still held his staff and was grinning at her.

"I always told those fools to train themselves as much as they did their Pokémon, but do they listen, no." Her opponent muttered as he blocked her whip with his staff.

"You can tell them that in jail." Lilith spat as she tried to hit him with her whip as she kept her eyes on her foes Pokémon and the staff wielder.

"You think I'll go down that easily girl, you've got one of yours down and three of mine are still active, one slipup and I capture you instead." The staff wielder smirked as he charged at her and thrust his staff at her, causing her to dodge the blows by a hair's length each time.

"And how will I 'slip up'?" Lilith said as he started to chuckle.

"By this, BEEDRILL, PIN MISSILE ALL!" Lilith turned and saw Beedrill firing muiltiple small white needles from all THREE of its stingers, the ones from the back stinger hit Misdreavus and gave the Escavalier a chance to fire a Flash Cannon blast that knocked her out. The

"Misdreavus! No!" Lilith cried as she looked around and saw that her sole remaining Pokémon was being surrounded by Escavalier and Yanmega while it fought to keep the Beedrill under its Protect.

"Something like that is what I'm saying, so how about you surrender, you are out numbered." He said with a smirk on his face. Lilith seethed as she looked at his face. _THAT'S IT! I'll shut him up with my own hands! I'll teach him not to mess with an Aura user before I break his neck!_ Lilith thought as her eyes started to glow purple. Before the he could noticed the glow however.

"PIKACHU, VOLT TACKLE ON THE ESCAVALIER! FLETCHLING RAZOR WIND ON YANMEGA!" Ash's voice snapped Lilith concentration and she stopped drawing on her Aura and whipped her head towards where his voice came from to see Pikachu's body black and white surrounded by a golden glow dash by and collide with Escavalier.

"PIKA PIKA!" Pikachu cried when he impacted the Steel Bug Type and the momentum of his movement forced Escavalier backwards, volts of yellow electricity move about its body indicating it was parleyed. While Pikachu had done this silver energy crescents had hit Yanmega and had knocked it the ground and Fletchling appeared and hovered above the downed Bug Type.

"Perhaps you should surrender since you're out numbered now." Ash said dryly from where he, Serena and Nimue were, Serena's Fenniken was next to Nimue's Samurott and both moved towards where Liepard had repositioned the Protect to keep the Beedrill contained.

The staff user looked around and took stock of what was around him. He fumbled for his Pokéballs and swiftly recalled his two Pokémon and smiled at something he saw above the trees.

"FROAKIE!" Ash's Froakie call caused Ash and the others to turn and saw a swarm of Venomoths come over the trees and angled towards the downed trainers and their Pokémon, Ash whipped his head when he heard a small chuckle from the staff wielder.

"I think I'll just leave, till next time we meet in combat." He said as Ash lunged at the Venomoth flying toward him with his shield to bash it but it slipped by him and landed on the trainer and teleported away with the others landing and teleporting the fallen Pokémon and trainers away. Ash looked around as Froakie came into the area carry the crystal in its arms and just shook his head with a look of wonder on his face. Serena walked and put her free arm on his shoulder.

"Ash, what's wrong?" Her question caused Ash to look at her and gave a small sigh.

"This is the first time I ever saw a group with a teleporting exit strategy, I really don't like the implications. I think maybe we should get back to the center, we'll be safer there." He said as he walked over to Lilith's and Nimue dropped bags and picked them up.

Bonnie skipped about outside the Center as she laughed as her brother watched with a smile on her face. She had aced her test and she had such a surprise to share with Lilly and Serena when she saw them again.

"Dinner is now served in the dining room and will be available until seven. After which the kitchen will be closing at ten. Once again Dinner is now served." The speakers called, causing Clemont to start to worry. _Was Lilly attacked after she left Nimue? Maybe I should have gone with her after all._ Clemont thought as he started to grow worried.

"If anything happened to her I'll kill em." Clemont muttered under his breath.

"There they are, oh they ran into Ash and Serena." Bonnie's voice caused Clemont to snap and look at Bonnie before he followed where she was looking to see Ash, Serena, Lilly and Nimue walking towards the Center. Clemont gave a sigh of relief before he noticed marks on Lilly and Nimues clothing that indicated they had been in fight.

"Serena, Lilly! Your back!" Bonnie said with a smile on her face as she hugged Serena's legs.

"Hi Bonnie! How'd you do on the test?" Lilly asked as she squatted down and smiled at the younger girl.

"I aced it! And guess what?" Bonnie said as she drew forth a Pokéball and threw it, releasing Dedenne who jumped onto Bonnie's shoulder. Ash's eyes had widened a faction and Serena and Lilly both had a look of confusion on their faces.

"As of Noon today I am now a Junior Trainer!" Bonnie exclaimed as she smiled.

"It basically means she can own at most two Pokémon and is able to assist in level 1-3 Quests, she'll need to show at least some skill with a weapon or style or a family member will take 'possession' of them if she falls." Clemont said as he caught Ash's look.

"So how was your day Lilly, and how hard was the Quest Serena?" Bonnie's chipper aititude

"The quest was actually pretty suprisisng, Ash and I had to fight off three wild Pokémon to finish it, lets get something to eat and I'll tell you all about it. Ash could you tell Nurse Joy we're back and finished the Quest?" Serena asked as she took one of Bonnie's hands and led her, Nimue and Lilly into the Center.

"I remember where Nurse Joy said she'll be, I lead you to her." Clemont offered as he gestured for Ash to follow him. Clemont lead him away from the girls and once they were far enough away that Bonnie wouldn't hear him to turned sharply to face Ash.

"What happened to those two Ash?" Clemont demanded.

"The same gang that attacked Nimue and Lilly last night, and get this; they had enough Venomoths to teleport them away after Lilly knocked out most of them who attacked them, and someone followed after one of them who slipped by Lilly after Nimue." Ash said flatly. Clemont listened and leaned against the wall in shock.

"That's more than just a gang of punks, that's an organized group that more like one the _Teams_. But something like that in a town with a Gym, how did they get so strong." Clemont wondered as he looked upwards.

"And why did they decide to attack the girls, I fear when the time to leave the city they might make it harder than it was to come in." Ash said with a grim tone, causing Clemont to nod.

Brock looked towards the setting sun and sighed. After they had left clearing they had found the path torn up and debris that looked like something had left it in that state to make following the trail harder. With each blockade they found, the surer Brock was that whatever was happening on the Mountain was bigger than he had thought it was. He turned and saw that Yuji had his eyes on Salma and Agalia talking as the two rode their Pokémon, Brock frowned as he saw that Yuji's eyes were locked on Agalia. _If those two aren't from the League then does Karin know; did they trick her or is she in on it? Whatever 'it' really is I can't let it interfere with this expedition, as I heard before, 'ignorance kills in the field.'_ Brock thought as he looked around the trail. He perked up when he noticed that they had reached the ledge where they would set up camp but frowned when he saw the door was opened and webbing was around the clearing. He signaled his party to stop and gestured to his Steelix to drop him, recalling his Pokémon once he had reached the ground. As the others stopped and gathered around him he released two of his Pokémon, his Croagunk and Marshtomp.

"Okay, we've reached our first campsite but whatever is on the mountain was here as well so get your weapons ready. Salma, keep watch and Agalia, you and your brother circle around to the back of the cabin and be come in from there. Croagunk, Marshtomp we're breaching through the door, Yuji, you'll follow after." Brock commanded, causing Yuji to nod and release his Rhydon.

"I hear anything the big guy'll break a wall and I'll come in swinging." Yuji promised as he drew a mace from his back. Agalia drew two swords as her brother drew an axe as Salma got out a bow and knocked an arrow; Brock drew his lance and gave a nod to the others before he darted towards the cabin, his two Pokémon flanking him as he moved. When they reached the cabin door he turned and saw Yuji moving towards them, he and his Pokémon making sure to stay far enough back to not be to close if Brock was attacked. Brock looked along the wall the door was on and was surprised that there were no windows on the front of the cabin but after a few seconds he decide to forget about that detail for now. He nodded at his Pokemon and Croagunk jumped through the doorway while he and Marshtomp followed it into the room, each of them ready to react to an attack. They entered a scene of devastation, debris all around the room with webbing on the broken furniture and bullet holes in the walls but nothing living within. As Brock moved towards the back of the cabin, Yuji followed behind him, and with a glance around the room, he moved through a doorway to inspect the rest of the cabin. Brock walked into the cabin's kitchen, it was in the same shape as where he had entered the structure, a table broken into pieces and bullet holes in the walls with webbing on the walls and floor. He opened the door to the outside saw Agalia and her brother coming around the right side and signaled them to come inside and went to call in Salma in. When he returned leading Salma he saw Agalia had entered the kitchen in front of her brother, a frown forming on her face as she looked around the room.

"There are signs of a large battle that moved through the trees on the right side." Kunz reported flatly when he saw.

"That fits with the state of the other rooms. Their destroyed, webs everywhere and broken furniture. Whatever broke in here rampaged through the whole cabin and took almost every bit of food or organic material they could find." Yuji reported when he rejoined the group. Salma looked around the room, stopping to look at a stain on the wall next to a bullet hole with a frown.

"This is a lot worse than I thought it would be, this is not the work of just one creature. And if a pack moved into the area recently, it wouldn't have any connection to the outbreak. And the holes in the wall show that someone with a gun was here and either escaped or was captured by whatever attacked this place." Brock said with a grim look on his face.

"Chimera packs that travel usually try not to attract attention, they usually stays away from manmade structures. If someone could fight them at range, I don't think a pack would throw bodies at someone and police their dead so we wouldn't find traces, and the destruction of this place is… not right with documented Chimera behavior." Agalia said, drawing a sharp look from Yuji. _Documented behavior? Now I know you two aren't with the League._ Yuji thought as he glared at the brother and sister.

"We've only found that webbing in the clearing and then there were the obstructions we found on the path up here, if a chimera was behind it that implies that it was a strategy in play, that's not normal. Should we turn around and return to the city together tomorrow?" Yuji asked as he turned towards Brock. Salma had been listening from where she was standing but a white stain with pink spots by the door caught her attention and she moved to look at it closer.

"No, we still don't know what is happening here, we've only found things that make more questions than we had when we started. The only thing to do is keep going tomorrow…." Brock began before he was interrupted.

"This here, I think its blood!" Salma's voice caused the other to turn and look at her. They turned and saw Salma crouched by the door, looking out towards the left. Brock led the others to group around her as she led them out, following white splatter marks on the ground towards the cliff. Brock grabbed Salma's arm when she tried to move to the edge.

"The blood goes over the cliff; we need to know what's over the edge." Salma said with a frown on her face as she locked eyes with Brock who looked at her and sighed.

"Then you need to do it the right way." Brock said sharply as he brought out a length of rope. Looking around he saw a nearby sturdy looking tree and walked to it, tying the rope around the tree before he threw it towards Salma who looked at it for a second before she tied it around her waist. Moving towards the edge she kept a hand on the rope as she reached the edge and looked downs and starred at what she saw.

"Anyone got a flyer on them, because we really need to bring that up." Salma breathed as she stared at a black form on a tree jolting out of the side of the cliff.

"What do you see?" Brock called from the tree.

"I think I'm looking at the corpse of a Chimera." Salma answered him.

A few minutes later Brock had his Crobat tie a rope around, Crobat holding the other end in its mouth to steady the corpse and they were able to bring up it up safely, it was revealed to be a black chitin covered insect like body with hands and sharp pointy legs, one of two multifaceted eyes above its mouth was popped with white stains around the socket. The body had other bullet holes in it and a savage bit mark on the front portion of the body. Brock, Salma, Agalia and Kunz gathered around it, looking over the corpse while Yuji looked around the area by the cliff face intently, taking in the cabin and the area around the area behind it.

"This is a Chimera? This is the first time I ever saw one of them up close, even a dead one." Salma said as she looked at the corpse on the ground before them.

"What about during the last Siege?" Kunz asked in a flat voice.

"Mom was so scared when the first report she dragged all of us to the gym and hid in the shelter for the duration." Salam said with a sheepish look on her face.

"I think it was a pack of these things, this is too small to have done half of the damage we found on its own. And giving its condition this happened last night" Agalia said as she tried to move the arm, but rigor mortis had set in.

"But what happened, that's the question we need to answer." Brock said grimly as he observed the body.

"I think the attack happened while the sun was setting." Yuji voice caused them to turn and look at him, noticing him pointing towards the trees. The others saw the trees behind the cabin were covered with shadows cast by the cabin itself.

"Look, the setting sun sets hits the cabin first, they attacked with the sun at their back and surrounded the cabin. With no windows on the front unless someone was out there they would have had the element of surprise, I think whoever was in the cabin fought to escape to the back and was forced towards the cliffs, but one of their Pokémon threw the body we found over the cliff, maybe by way of a bite. After that I think they escaped that way, towards Johto or the Plateau." Yuji finished as he turned towards the others to meet looks of shock at what he had theorized. Brock looked around noticing that the webbing was more focused around the cliff,

"That might be what happened but how'd you figure it out so fast? How'd you know where they went?" Brock asked as he looked around the clearing, trying to figure out what Yuji had seen.

"My family used to come to this place whenever we would go to see the Kanto League Conference when I was younger. The woods have a path that leads to a fork that leads to either Johto or the Plateau, the battle those two found most likely was from when they escaped, the splatters we followed were from the eye, and it bleed out from that and the bit mark. Whatever threw it had fangs maybe an Arcanine or something with a similar body shape." Yuji mused as he looked towards the setting sun with a frown. Brock saw the look on his face and grew concerned.

"What's wrong?" Brock asked as he started to look around the area, trying to see what Yuji had.

"An organism that finds food at a location usually comes back when its hungry." Yuji said grimly as he looked around.

"What does that have to do with…. the food that remained in the cabin. You think something might come back for it tonight?!" Brock demanded as the others and their Pokemon started to look around.

"If someone escaped then maybe the rest of these things might chase them down but they will be back sooner than not. But it's a possibility that they will be back tonight, so let's use what daylight we have left to make this place more defensible, maybe make a moat or something a few yards out and put the remains of the furniture in the doorways, also I need to check the food, if we can't use it we should destroy it and the structure." Yuji's grim words caused the others to look at him in shock.

"Why the hell would we destroy the food Yuji!" Salma demanded as she just looked at him.

"If those things comeback, we want to leave them nothing that would help them attack Viridian, for some people it might be the difference between life and death." The replay caused the others to look at each other for a few minuites before Brock realized Yuji was right. _To protect the citizens of Kanto, that is the purpose of the League and the Gyms are responsible for that defense. And those steps are the right thing to do._ Brock's thoughts caused him to adopt a grim look.

"He's right, we have to. Here's what we're doing so listen up, I'm only going over this once! Salma start having your Onyix make a trench around the cabin out thirty feet after we move this sample within that radiance! Kunz start gathering wood to throw into the trench, use every three if you have to but I want us to be able to create a fire wall around us. Yuji since you brought it up I guess you have a way to check the food?" Brock said as he turned to face Yuji.

"Yes." Yuji said simply as he started to walk towards the cabin.

"Good, Agalia you keep an eye on your brother as he gathers the wood and watch the back for anything, I'll cover the front." Brock said as he led his team towards the front of the cabin, the others.

Farther out Shadow had watched and heard all that Brock and the others had done and behind his mask he smiled, glad that Brock had a good head on his shoulders. He had been one of the team that found the Chimera during the Siege and getting back to civilization had been hard, but their leader had a head on his shoulder like Brock and they had survived to return with the information that had ended that scourge. And now to fight the people who had made that thing he need to watch over this group and protect them from the enemy within.

"And I'll watch over the lot so none of them try and kill the others Rock Leader." He whispered as he slipped into the gathering night, looking for a place to lay down and watch over the cabin, ready to strike anyone or anything attacked. He perked up when he saw Yuji look at the two 'hunters' as they went about their tasks wondering if he could risk talking to him when he was alone so he could warn one of them about the danger in their mist.

 **JR. Trainer** : Only in the countries that don't follow the treaty fully does this exist. The idea was created to allow a trainer time so they can prepare for being on their own by 'interning' with an experienced trainer. Jr Trainers are able to own up to three Pokemon and do general Quests within city limits. Although generally this is done by the local gym or trainers in towns in all regions, Kalos and Alola are the only regions where this has become official.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Sorry it's a so late everyone, but I moved last Thursday and then the Hurricanes, I only got back Internet yesterday but I had things so I forgot about my finished chapter, sorry everyone . Anyway, I'm doing a new thing, from now on this is {[ ]} for when I call a Pokémon, Chimera or other a specific name from the narrative itself, anyway, hope you all had a happy mother's Day everyone. And I have an outline into two chapters ahead so next will be by the Ninth, I will try to do it. And when I update this again I will have the first chapter of Star VS Mystery fusion, a blast from the past. Hey sorry about how the chapter looked before, this should fix it, not sure how it happened really.

The undergrowth rustled as a large Arcanine dashed by. It had a rider with a clock covering their body on its back as it dodged purple darts trying to hit the Pokémon and its rider. Out of the darkness seven shapes moved after the Pokémon and its rider, 2 with horns and the rest without. The leader of the seven shapes screeched and more purple darts shot at the duo as from the shapes as the Fire type moved through the plants. The figure riding Arcanine looked backwards and cursed as they saw the darts hit trees and start to eat away at the plants they hit.

"Come on girl, we can make it! We've got to get to the edges of the Plateau, the guards will be able to take care of them and we'll be able to report to the higher ups and get some from for him, but we've got to get away from them." A feminine voice encouraged her partner as she moved her body forward, trying to make herself a smaller target.

"CREEE!" A voice cried from the darkness ahead of them as a shadow shot from darkness at the rider and body slammed her off her Pokémon. Her Arcanine turned and jumped at the form and released a devastating stream of white fire that burned the shadow and sent it to the ground as a burning corpse. Her Arcanine moved next to her and bent down, her trainer grab her back and the Arcanine stood back up, helping her to her feet. Her trainer looked as the Bug Chimera started to circle them and reached into her clock and drew two hand guns.

"Thanks for help girl but this looks like this is as far as we can run. If you see any openings take it and run for it, don't wait for me." She whispered as she went back to back with her Fire type. Arcanine merely released wisps of flames from her mouth and shot a blast of fire at the Chimeras around them. The woman fired her guns at the black chitin that moved towards them.

"Aracanine! Aracan!" Her Pokémon cried as it tried to protect her trainer. The woman spared a look at the fire type and snarled and kicked back one of the hornless forms before she snarled.

"Girl you're as stubborn as I am and that's saying something! But don't argue, you have to warn the league, this is serious! If you can get away, then we win no matter what happens!" She said with a snarl as she looked at the encircling forms.

One of the horned forms shot forward abruptly and cut Aracanine's leg, forcing it to its knees. Before the Chimera could bring its horn down it was shot between its eyes and crumpled to the ground. The girl ran and put her body between her Pokémon and the remaining Chimera. She looked beyond the darkness and saw more Chimeras moved towards them. Aracanine shakily stood back up and growled at the horde before them as flames drifted from its mouth. She hastily reloaded her guns slowly readied herself as she and her Pokémon moved backwards, the horde moving towards them slowly.

"We might fall but by the Types we'll definitely take most of them with us girl!" The girl said as she aimed at the approaching horde. The last horned form gestured with its horn and gave a cry, causing the woman to curse when she saw a white glow start from many places in the horde before many large white needle to shoot at them.

"Ferrothorn Protect those two!" A voice called from above before what resembled a metallic saucer with three vine-like, long green appendages on its top slammed down before the girl and her Pokemon and formed a large turquoise force field that blocked the white needles.

"Salamance, Flamethrower, make a wall behind them, we're ending this here and now! Infernape deal with the horde with Close Combat!" Another voice called out moments before a spiral of fire moved behind the horde in a line, creating a large wall of fire that cut off the horde from any escape attempt before a brown primate-like Pokémon jumped into the center of the horde and started to savage them with devastating punches and kicks, cracking chitin with every blow.

"Swanna, high guard and snipe with Air Slash, nothing escapes! Get in there Lucario and use Metal Claw to help!" The first voice called out before a Lucario landed beyond the force field and shot into the horde both its hands glowing white, slicing apart the Chimeras. One of them started to run along the line of the fire when disc-like energy blades sliced into the escaping form. The girl and her Pokémon stared in shock at the rate the Chimeras were being defeated.

"Are you two alright?" she turned her head to come face to face with a man with dark brown hair under a blue hat and wearing a blue coat and black pants standing on a blue Dragon-Type with red wings with a purple Dragon type with three heads hovering above them with a younger trainer on its back with brown gray hair wearing a yellow shirt, orange headband and blue shorts with a white Flying type hovering above.

"Who are you?" She asked silently as she started to realize that she and her partner would survive this night after all. She heard a cry and turned and saw the Infernape and the Lucario finish off the last of the Chimeras and saw the younger looking one jumped down and started to observe the corpse, crouching down next to the body of one of the horned ones. A cough brought her attention back to the man in the blue hat.

"I'm Riley, that's my student Cameron, its lucky we ran into you while we were heading into Kanto. What happened…." Riley began before he was interrupted by the woman who looked startled.

"Into Kanto?! Isn't this the path to the Indigo Plateau!?" She exclaimed as she looked around with shock on her face. Riley meanwhile looked at the Aracanine and saw the wound on its leg.

"No, this is the way to the Johto Region; if you were going for the Plateau I'm afraid you took a wrong turn. And given your friends condition, it might be better if you don't come with us…" Riley started before the woman lunged forward and grabbed him, her hood falling off to reveal a woman with red hair in a braided ponytail down her back, with blue eyes and a fierce scowl on her face.

"No, you listen here. I didn't fight my way into the Guards and put up with the worst posting in the service and survive those things to go run away like a good little girl you…" She snarled at him when a cry from Cameron caused them to look at him.

"Master, you're going to want to take a look at this." The woman heard a growl from her partner and saw the Salamance had a ball of fire in its open mouth looking at her; she slowly let Riley down and turned to look at Cameron crouched down by the one burned corpse her Aracanine had made of the thing that had body slammed her.

"This isn't over." She promised him as she stepped away from him.

"You lady you have quite a temper." Riley said as the two of them walked over to Cameron.

"Give me a break I've been fighting those things since dawn, and the name is Rosette." Rosette said as they reached Cameron.

"The corpses are at split between two different types. This thing is another but it's the only one of its type here from what I could tell. I got to say, these things truly fits the definition of swarm." As soon as she heard what Cameron said she turned and grabbed ahold of Riley's clothing and pulled him towards her with a scowl on her face.

"Swarm?! Wait, you two knew about these things and you didn't warn anyone?!" Rosette demanded of him.

"We had a warning that was so out there that no one would believe us, we barely made it here as fast as we did because of luck and two no shows on a water plane." Riley said he gestured to the others not to react.

"What, did Arceus himself come down and give you a prophecy?!" Rosette screamed as she thought back to what had happened to the others in the cabin when the Chimera attacked.

"Ancient warning stone an Aura Guardian left incase whatever held them back was destroyed was activated, we were able to trace its location to somewhere in a mountain in Kanto, a report about Viridian got us the rest of the way." Riley's words caused her to stare at him before she started to laugh darkly.

"And how did you have something made by one of the _legendary_ Aura Guardians!? What are you two members or something!?" She demanded and jerked away when Riley gained an azure aura around himself. She jerked her head and looked at Cameron who sheepishly held up an open hand and a ball of blue energy was formed from blue lightning that sparked from his fingers.

"We are the **last** of the Aura Guardians." Riley words caused her head to whip back to see the somber look on Riley's face. "It's a long story and maybe we should talk about it somewhere else if we talk about it at all. If you want to come with us we should do something about your partner." Riley continued before Rosette shook herself back to her sense.

"Thanks." Rosette said as she moved towards her Pokémon, her thoughts were years away in the past, back in the stories her mother used to tell her as a child. _Aura Guardians? They actually existed, that changes a few things, if they were real then maybe the family stories are real, should I talk to them about it, I might finally get a few answers mom and I have been looking for._

"She knows something about us master, more than most people do." Cameron said quietly as Riley nodded at his student.

"Yes she does, whatever it is it's her business just so long as she's not connected to those people. During the battle did you sense anything beyond the fire wall?" Riley asked as he looked into the darkness of the woods as the fire died down.

"No master did you?" Cameron asked as he looked towards the trees with a look of worry on his face.

"No its nothing, maybe one of those things was stuck on the other side and ran back to its base. If it's something else then we'll deal with it when it comes up." Riley said as he turned towards Rosette and walked over to help her with her Pokémon.

Farther back within the darkness of the forest, just beyond the edges of Riley's senses on top of a tree far, a humanoid figure watched with its arms crossed and shook its head at what it had witnessed. _The youngsters had those two until the Destroyers appeared. How surprising, I thought that we had tricked the Betrayers into destroying their source once and for all. Should I stay and investigate the young, or should I report back at least two of them still walk in this world? And then there was the tactics used, they were pathetic, is that a mark of their sentiency, their experience of is their maker limiting it, or is it their age of all things? If their creator is the cause then it might be necessary to end it before it becomes a threat to our interests even if that unfortunately helps the humans as well, no matter how much the thought disgusts me. But for the Concave to takes its rightful rule, all the strength we can gather is needed and the Prophet said that 'a great strength would be borne along the Spine of Kanto'. This is the first spark I've found in months, if this is it I need to recover it, but is that what is best for my people. But no matter what I'd better follow until I decide on what to do._

As it noticed that the people it was observing had finished treating and recalled the Fire type and soon after that they set off, it nodded. Time to get back to work; it could make a decision later. No sooner had it nodded then two transparent bat like wings opened on its back and it jumped through the air, gliding from tree to tree as it followed the three trainers higher up the mountain, keeping just out of the range of Riley's senses.

"So how's the Pizza? It's not sushi or noodles but it's a lot like a traditional food they serve in Fuchsia right?" Happy's voice caused Gabby to look up from what she had been doing. After Happy had brought into her into her office and sat her down she had dropped a bulging folder of documents that in front of her and said that this was the result of Kotaro's investigations. Once Happy had let Gabby into her room she had been sat down at a table and was served some pizza and a bunch of documents were set down before her.

"It's fine but this… I can't believe that Kotaro has been alive, fighting these people for years, why the hell didn't that idiot let us know her was alive?" Gabby said as she looked over the documents before her, not seeing the sad smile on Happy's face. The papers before Gabby linked the group she had been investigating to charities, corporations and celebrities across most of Kanto, Johto and Sinnoh, they were so much bigger than she had thought they were. _Kotaro is alive and is working with one of the greatest and youngest hackers in Kanto to investigate the same group I was. And here I thought they were a new criminal gang that had stayed in the shadows better than Team Rocket ever had. If this is right they've been around for decades if not centuries, just what did the two of us stumble onto?_

"He couldn't take the chance, he didn't say much but from what I put together someone betrayed his team during the Siege after they killed the main Chimera, someone form his gym. And about you guys, he kept his eyes on you all and he even had me write a program that recorded every report you made girl." Happy said with a smirk at the blush Gabby gained before she turned and looked at the papers more closely. She had just started to read one when she stopped and brought it slowly to her face and slowly read what was on it.

"They _create_ Chimeras!? They know how to make them and they were responsible for the Siege?" Gabby stammered in total shock. _Chimeras are supposed to be the product of random mutations in Pokémon eggs, if they know how to make them then that means they have a way to induce mutations, or the real cause is something only they know about. What is it?_ Gabby was brought out of her thoughts when she heard Happy's snort of derision, looking up and was surprised at the look of disgust on the girl's face.

"Yeah more like the creature responsible for the Siege got away from them the people who _made_ it. They don't have a good track record of keeping what they _make_ captive if they want to get away, I was able to escape easily after all." Gabby just looked at Happy with a look of shock on her face. She winced as she saw the way Happy looked, the she emotions had on her face made her look a lot like a few abused children she had interview before. _They made her? That raises so many questions and most of them make me want to hurt them. Wait, she said these documents were the result of_ Kotaro's investigation _, not hers. How did these two meet?_

"They _made_ you, what do you mean?" Gabby question softly as she walked over to the young girl, she had a thousand yard stare and didn't even react to how close Gabby. Gabby didn't touch the younger girl; she had learned when people had stares like that to let them come out of it on their own if they wanted to share anything.

"They have a few orphanages and schools under different charities here and there, most of the schools are in cities but some of the boarding ones are in the wilderness; they market them as a place to let kids grow up without distractions of the outside world, places to bring out their true potential, and some like the one I was at was both an orphanage and a school all in one. They don't say that they also indoctrinate their students to their _cause_ or try to mold them to fit a specific purpose. The place I grew up in was in was one they didn't advertise; it was more a prison than anything else, and research science was the name of the only game they _permitted_. It was set up so that the better we pleased our _masters_ the better we were treated, the _school_ had an accelerated education program harder and longer than most other schools in Kanto, and they had job fairs with only research companies, so their _buyers_ would get the most out of the _products they purchased._. If any of us scored lower than 50% on two tests in a row, then they would be sent to a different school, at least that's what we were told." Happy said with a snort and a look of hatred formed on her face.

"They weren't just sent to another school were they?" Gabby said as she looked at Happy with a patient look on her face. Happy walked towards her computer and soon after pictures appeared on the screen, pictures from tabloids and high society pages about weddings of the sons of…owners of _research companies_ and other families who had old fashion views on the world, families that believed in… _arranged marriages_. Gabby looked at the pictures and noticed that each of the brides had a symbol on their cloths or around their necks, the symbol of the people she had been investigating.

"Some of them were, if they met certain _standards_ they went to _schools_ which broke them and trained them to be trophy wives if they were lucky or if they were unlucky they were used as human test subjects at worst or broken and remade into fanatics. I found out what they were doing about four years ago, I decided to see where a rival that had failed a test was being sent; the two of us would go at it like Meowths and Growlies for long as we knew each other. I wanted to know where she was being sent so I could taunt her with my success, so I hacked the computers and discovered a criteria list that graded qualities like looks, age and past tests, their genetics were also considered, I didn't understand it and decided to investigate." Happy as she looked at the data on the screen and closed all of them and opened a map of the north of Kanto beyond Cerulean City, farther out then anyone but researchers and explorers went as far as Gabby knew.

"That was where the school was, a little place in the wildness so far off the beaten track that few if anyone came near it, must of the news we got was controlled by the school. I learned early on that the vents went everywhere, I had mapped it all out years ago and I think I spent about a month listing in on the teacher's private areas before I was able to put together a picture that something wasn't right about the school and the _transfers_. I decided the next time a girl was to be sent away I'd leave a few presents and escape then, but it didn't turn out that way I thought it would, _she_ didn't let it." Happy said with a small smile on her face as she leaned back.

"Who didn't let it?" Gabby asked quietly as she took in what she was being told. _I have to find a way to get this into the public domain; even the gossip papers might spark an investigation. And the families involved, a few of them might try and take care of the problem so there's no back blow on them_. Gabby's thoughts died down when Happy started to chuckle with a smile on her face as her Espurr jumped onto her should and rubbed Happy's check.

"Her name was Tara. She was the chief negotiator of the black market between the other students; she would negotiate any deal as long as someone paid her, she was hard as stone but she had one weakness, and was the girl who was to be sent away. The girl was named Aurelia; she was Tara's roommate and sister in everything but blood. Tara, she always volunteered at the nurses' station and loved the health sciences, she was someone who loved to help people, she had been told she was going to a prep school for nurses and doctors and she was so happy about it, but I knew from what I had discovered it was a lie, I have a terrible poker face and Tara picked up the signs I gave off. She confronted me and I shared what I had discovered, and when the kid was being taken away the two of us set a few surprises we set up. Tara put a few mega stink bombs into the vents, sent everyone inside running to open a window or get outside, and I created a virus that destroyed the school's operating system after it inverted the school's subsonic repellers to lure in all the local Bug Type, including three rival Beedrill hives, of course it was just a surprise when the smell caused all of them to start fighting and the commotion let us grab Leaf and run for the woods in the commotion to escape the battle." Happy said as she leaned back and gave a small laugh as she thought of the trouble that had caused and the curses the teachers had giving off when the Beedrill had started that battle.

"Wait was this three years ago at the Prosperity of Knowledge Magnet School? You caused that when you escaped? They had to call in help from Cerulean City to deal with that! But if you did that and got away, how'd you meet Kotaro anyway?" Gabby asked in shock of the damage two girls had done to save a friend.

"It didn't give us as much time to get away as you would think, and that's how I meet Kotaro. Anyway, a few minutes after we had started running into the woods, I noticed we were being tracked. Aurelia was still out of it, it turned out they drugged those they take to be really susceptible to orders to let them transport them easier, so I told Tara to run another way and started to make a lot of noise to make them follow me. I lead them to a cliff face and I was ready to at least take a few of them down when Kotaro appeared. He tore through them and we were able to rescue Tara and Aurelia. Last I heard about those two; Aurelia was living off the grid in the wilds of Kanto and Tara had giving herself a major makeover and goes by a handle she's been using as a negotiator for….. less than legal jobs, she's calling herself Green." Happy said with a small smile as Gabby stared at Happy in shock.

"Green, _the Green Lady!_? I've heard her mentioned here and there from contacts I have here and there, wasn't she part of that job that salvaged the Saint Ann? There were some documents recovered that caused a few…research companies… to go under." Gabby said with she stared in shock and looked at the computer screen.

"Yeah, one of those companies was the one whose owner was going to _buy_ Leaf for his son, and didn't that bastard turn out to be someone who got off beating women?" Happy asked with an innocent smile on her face under mischiefs eyes.

"By someone sending said son's private emails and videos to a new station financed by his father's biggest rival." Gabby said with a small smile as she shook her head.

"Yeah so sad that someone sent it just after the documents were revealed, it caused him to come under investigation too, which lead to a ring of rapists"

"What, you said if they were lucky they were sent to become brides, what if they were unlucky?" Gabby asked as something Happy had said suddenly struck her.

"I still don't know, I overheard one of the Teacher's saying Aurelia had been lucky enough to be chosen, and another said it was good that she would have one of those futures. Every time the two of us raid one of those schools I try to find out just what they meant but after the last three times I'm still not sure just what they were talking about…" Happy said before an alarm started to ring, startling the two women as a program came up on the screen causing Happy to curse.

"Fuck, one of my flags just went up!" Happy snarled as she tried to make sense of what was being shown on her computer.

"Flags?" Gabby asked as she looked at the screen.

"Watcher programs I use to monitor places and people of interest. And this one is… one of yours." Happy said as she started to read what was being shown. Gabby went white when she saw an internal email from her news agency from the head to her regional boss, it was basically a report that her contract had been 'canceled by command' and to find a way to have her body discovered in a few days and that the culprits would identified by the 'Officer', who would expressed sorrow that they would rather die resisting arrest then stand trial for their crimes, the replay said he was sorry he wasn't hadn't been invited to her 'sendoff', and he had been planning to have her demoted and turn her into his secretary/mistress within the next few months. Gabby went red when she read his comments on what he wanted to do to her.

"I always thought he was slimy, but he's one of them!? And they were going to use my death to kill someone!" Gabby said as she looked at what was being shown. Espurr jumped down and rubbed against Gabby's legs. Happy reached over and put her arm on Gabby's shoulder and smiled at her when they eyes met.

"I want to say that would be a surprise, but it's really not. Those bastards are all about using everything to advance their agenda, they'll like fanatics. I'd bet you anything they'll find someone to pin it on that is standing in their way for some reason." Happy's voice carried a certainty that surprised Gabby.

"They've done something like this before then." Gabby asked flatly. Happy had turned back towards her computer and started to open other programs.

"Nothing so elaborate, but they have taken advantage of deaths from what we've seen to date. But you want to keep telling people the truth, don't you?" Happy asked as Espurr picked up a glowing tablet and brought it to Gabby. She took it with a neutral expression that morphed into shock as she looked at it and saw a database of underground news sites she had been trying to find and looked up at Happy as she started to pay more attention to her screen.

"Those are a few of the more upright news sites I know. If you've got research that backs up a story they'll publish it, and if it takes down part of the League one of them would publish anyway. If you still want to be a reporter they are ways, and if you don't mind I'm going to find out just who the 'Officer' is so Kotaro can question him when he comes back." Happy said as she started to hack into the Viridian City Police database, trying to find out the identity of the Order's insider.

A deer walked through the forest, stopping only to look around before it lowered its head to eat some of the grass next to a tree in a clearing, the last action it would ever take. A figure dropped onto its back and with a swift motion broke its neck, killing it quickly. All around the clearing five figures came out of hiding, each one the same the one that killed the deer, each a four foot tall humanoid with grey skin, three eyes with a line over each above a muzzle with limbs ending with three fingers and toes {[Goblin]}. The Goblin on the deer corpse got up and smiled at its siblings and smiled, the scar on its check {[Protector]} a solid red line across its left check seemed to give it a look of loyalty as the others crowded around and looked at the meat, each hoping it would have enough to eat tonight. For the last few days their sire had been sending them out to hunt, Protector had taken the weakest with him and while its sibling with the dead eye in the center [Deadeye] had taken a few of the dumber ones and had charged after out into the woods and had comeback the first night with a few eggs and fish, the others had brought various small animals, fish or plants but today **they** would comeback with deer meet. Protector looked around and saw one of them missing and looked until it discovered the sixth member of the hunting group a smaller one then the others, it was only three feet high and more often than not it would seem to look into space but Protector had learned that its center eye could see things _differently_ than its siblings eyes could, {[Gazer]} so Protector walked over and put its hand on its siblings shoulder and followed its gaze to a tree to see a nest on a low hanging branch below a branch full of fruit, causing Protector to look at Gazer and smile and call others over to collect the bounty their sibling had found.

Protector looked at the others as they climbed up the tree and smiled as it watched them help each other to climb up the tree. Its sire might believe in survival of the fittest above all but it had always believed that teamwork was the most important thing for survival. As it watched the others it was happy that its example had borne something with the others. Suddenly Gazer cried out, Protector turned and followed Gazer's arm to see yellow balls with a brick like pattern come out of nowhere suddenly and shot at the climbers, knocking them off the tree before the balls rolled away from the tree back from where they had come from.

Protector ran with Gazer and they helped their siblings back to their feet and looked to see the balls unfurl into yellow things with snouts and black eyes while a larger one with more pounced claws and spines on its back point at them with looks of anger on its face. Proctor looked at them and remembered that others who had gone on the hunt alone had come back injured, they all had said they were attacked by yellow ball like creatures and here they were. Protector took a step forwards and bared its teeth at the creatures in front of it and snarled. The larger one meet Protector's snarl with a slash downward with its claws and the things behind it started to join it in snarling and bare their teeth. Protector looked at them and noticed that they outnumbered its group two to one but Protector had seen the punishments their sire had visited upon those who didn't return with a lesser bounty and it would not let such punishments affect its pack.

"Borwa!" Protector screamed as it took a step forward and the others, even little Gazer joined its cries to their sibling. The creatures before them started to cry and the larger one started to run forward on all four of its limbs the smaller ones following.

"Borwa, Borwa!" Protector screamed as it charged at the creatures in response, as the others followed behind it. He leaped at the large creature and when they meet Protector grabbed its claws and managed to bit its right eye, tearing off a chunk of it, causing a scream of erupt out of the creature it was grappling with. The larger creature's scream had caused one of the smaller ones to begin to charge at the grappling leaders when Gazer appeared out of nowhere and tackled it towards the clearing.

Gazer had seen the strength of the others and threw itself at the next strongest enemy before it could help its leader by attacking Protector. Gazer and its foe rolled until the creature had Gazer on its back and drew back its right claw for the kill. Gazer reached for anything to hit it with and broke off one of the antler of the deer and plunged it into the creature's body. The creature spasmed and expired as Gazer lay there panting and pushed the corpse off itself and looked at Protector's fight and saw it's sibling in danger. Pulling the horn out of the corpse it ran towards its sibling.

Protector might have bitten off more than it could have handled when it had leaped at the larger creature, but it had managed to keep it away from its fellows, Protector could only hope it could buy more time before the creature killed it. Although its eye had been damaged, the creature had forced Protector onto its back and kept its limbs pinned. The creature grinned downward as its claws began to glow white just before something was jammed into the damaged eye. Protector followed the thing to Gazer holding what Protector realized was one of the deer's horn. Gaze reached down and offered a hand, which Protector took and let Gazer pull it back to its feet.

Looking around it saw that half the smaller creatures had been slain and the rest were rolling away. One of them looked back at them and roared before it too rolled into a ball and went after its pack mates.

"Borwa!" Protector roared out and raised its fists into the air.

"Borwa! Borwa! Borwa!" The others cried out, Gazer raising the horn and shaking it. Protector turned towards the corpse and the gestured for the others to get ready to return home, and looked at the larger creature's corpse and smilled at Gazer,

Deadeye smiled to itself as it carrying a flame horse it had killed over its shoulder. It had been luck that it had found the flame horse apart from its pack and with a broken leg too. It had moved over it until it had been able to land on its back and had chocked the life from it, taken delight in the way it had tried to buck Deadeye from its back, had laughed at the creature's cries. With such a bounty it would earn a blessing, and one day soon it would kill that one who had taken its central eye from it. So what if it had tried to kill that fool who always looked about lost, so what if it had scared that one, the score was not settled no matter what their Sire instigated. Within moments it came toward the cave and pushed aside other Goblins as it marched into the cave. It's sire lounged at the back and looked at the flame horse over Deadeyes shoulder and stare. Deadeye dropped the corpse of its kill before its Sire and bowed. The all those in the cave went quite as their Sire stood up, when a commotion behind caused them to turn and look. Some of their fellows walked in, each holding a yellow creature corpse that many Goblins hissed at as they saw them when Protector and Gazer walked in, carrying between them the corpse of a larger yellow creature that had to be related to the smaller ones. The group presented their kills before their master and it looked about what they had brought and started to laugh. It clapped its hands and reached down next to its throne and offered two bowls of the black blessing liquid to Protector and gestured at the larger creature. Protector took the bowls bowed before it tor the claws from the corpse, then torr off two of the raised quills and passed the quills and one of the bowls to Gazer. Deadeye could see no more and slipped out of the cave, not noticing two coming up holding muddy plants who looked into the cave and dropped the plants and followed Deadeye.

Deadeye stalked up the mountain as it fumed over what it had just seen, letting its feet carry it as its brain worked over what it had seen, not noticing that the two Goblins who only had plants followed behind it, hoping Deadeye would lead them to something more to bring back to their sire. Deadeye had brought back that fire horse for its sire but that scared fool and the others with it had brought back those yellow creatures that and been raiding them and for that its sire had offered giving that fool its choice how to use two blessings and it had taken those claws and given that weakling who was always staring into space a blessing as well?!

"RAAGAGGAGA!" Deadeye screamed as it threw a fist a the mountain side, punching threw the stone and pausing when it felt a void around its fist, pulling it back and looking in the hole it had made. Deadeye started to tear away the stones and after a bit of work it was shown to be a portal to a passage into the mountain slopped upwards. Deadeye stormed into the passage with the two who had followed it behind it as Deadeye thundered down the passage way. As they moved deeper and upwards crystals set into the walls started to glow as they moved by them, causing the two to jump in fright and Deadeye to just follow the lights towards a doorway that he pushed open and passed through. The other two followed him and walked to stand beside him on a terrace with a large staircase leading down to the ground level of a hollow in the top of the mountain. At the center was a ruined castle with a falling tower and a stream running through the ruin to a cave at the opposite side of the hollow. Deadeye only stared at a grove of trees in the ruin, a gnarled looking tree with gold leaves and a single piece of fruit on the top most branches, that was all it seemed to see, and something about it sang to it, something said that this was where its destiny would began. Deadeye turned and saw the stairs and moved towards them, the other two following in its wake as he ran down the stairs.

Deadeye had run down the stairs and had stopped before the ruins main entrance. The marks on the wall and the holes and broken down doors showed that a great battle had happened here. Caustically Deadeye walked into the ruins, all around it was the remains of a great battle, skeletons of both bipeds and creatures, all with a hard outer covering and with some kind of tools all around them showed that something was fought over fiercely here. It led the other two through the courtyard and stopped when it heard a stone fall, turning it saw nothing out of place besides a piece of stone and a few dust trails in the wind, Deadeye looked at it before it moved on, the others following behind it. The other two moved closer to their leader as every so often a

Finally they reached the trees in the far part of the ruins, if Deadeye remembered what it had seen right then the tree it wanted was in the exact center. It was staring into the woods when something screamed at it to _move_ , not questioning it threw itself to the side a second before an arrow hit a tree exactly at level where its head had been. All three of them turned and saw five small grey skinned creatures with three brown ridges on their heads over their red eyes, four of them each holding something that looked sharper then the Goblins claws, the arrow had come from one standing farther back and it drew from another arrow from a bag on its back and the ones in front ran at them while another arrow flew over the chargers heads. Deadeye pulled the other two into the woods as the grey creatures chased them into the trees. After a few seconds it judged that they had lost their pursuers and pushed the other two Goblins to the side and leaped into a tree. The two kept running, not noticing Deadeye had disappeared and when the grey creatures had passed Deadeye jumped down and grabbed the last one around its neck, and leaped back into a tree, holding its captive and slowly squeezing until the creature expired. Looking at the thing the creature had carried it touched it and pulled away and looked at the blood on its hand and smiled.

The two Goblins stopped running when they reached a clearing with the gnarled tree in its center. They turned and saw three of the grey creatures and their confusion caused the creatures to look around for their missing comrade when Deadeye jumped at one of them the sharp thing in its hands and it sank into the head of one of them, sinking into its brain between two of its ridges.

"MACHOP CHOP!" One of the creatures cried and dropped the thing it was holding and lunged at Deadeye, while the other one looked at the corpse of its friend in shock until the other two goblins had it pinned, prompting a look of rage on the Machop's face and it let use a blast of electricity originating from its hands. The blast shocked the two goblins and the Machop reached down and picked up the dropped swords and held one in each hand, electricity coiling around both as the Machop regarded the two goblins before it charged at them.

Deadeye rolled with the Machop on top of it as they moved through the trees. The rage the Machop was feeling caused Deadeye to smile, rage help someone fight but it also blinded them. As the two fell Deadeye saw a tree coming and angled so that the Machop on it would hit it, which the roll did and when it was stunned by the hit Deadeye grabbed its head and started to pound it into the ground until it was dazed, then Deadeye picked it up and threw the Machop against one of the trees. Deadeye smiled when it saw that the Machop was knocked out and thrust its claws into the Pokemon's throat and killed it, hearing a cry of pain that sounded like it came from one of the other two that had come with her. There were still two more of the creatures left so it might need them before the day was over, so it had better save them.

The Machop slashed down at one of its opponents legs and kicked at the other one when it tried to intervene. Machop smiled as it saw that both Goblins had cuts all over their bodies and one of them was clutching its arm and both were backing up when Machop spotted one of the Goblins eyes move to star at something behind Machop, who jumped to the side a second before Deadeye pounded the ground where the Machop had been standing with both of its fists. Machop scowled when it saw what had attacked it, its comrades were dead, it and the other were all that was left. It had been able to handle the other two, it watched as Deadeye removed the sword from dead Machop's head and licked the blood from it, but Machop didn't react. Among the squad it was the one who had been the best at controlling its emotions, Deadeye would be the best test it ever had, it just clenched its swords and let electricity flow from its arms and up its swords.

Deadeye saw the thunder move up the _things_ the grey creature held in its hands and spared a quick looked at the two Goblins, only the fact that it still might have a use for them had caused it to rescue them, but if they had survived battle with this thing then it deafinitly would find a use for them. Deadeye saw the Machop start to try to circle around it, but Deadeye turned with it, keeping the Machop and in sight and shot at it to stab it, the Machop dodged and started to try to slash Deadeye, causing Deadeye to dodge in turn.

The two Goblins watched in awe as their sibling fought the thunder using creature; both of them could only stare in awe as the two fought. One of the Goblins started to grow worried as it saw that the thunder creature was moving forward, while their sibling was losing ground. Something had to be done; if their sibling died then they were next! As it moved its foot it looked down and saw a stray rock and remembered the thing that had almost hit their sibling. It got the attention of the Goblin next to it and picked up a stone and threw it at a tree before it picked up another stone and pointed at the thunder creature with a smirk.

Deadeye winced as it felt the shock that shock its arms with each block of the thunder creatures blows. Something had to change or Deadeye would die, and the creature it was fighting was stronger than Deadeye had thought, something had to happen or it would die. Suddenly the creature it was fighting staggered and with a quick movement Deadeye drove the thing it was holding straight through the thunder creature's body. Deadeye dropped the sharp thing and the thunder beast's corpse dropped to the ground. Looking up as it panted Deadeye saw the other two Goblins with stones in their hands and looked at the thunder creature and saw a stone next to where the corpse had fallen and Deadeye realized the ones who had saved had saved it.

Deadeye smiled turned, only to freeze in shock and looked about the clearing; it was where the tree it was after was. Deadeye looked upwards and saw a single piece of fruit hanging up the gnarled tree and walked over and started to climb up the tree. The other two goblins sat down and looked up at their sibling as it climbed, they didn't understand what Deadeye was after but they watched as it climbed. Deadeye was finally at the fruit; it had sharp angles, four sides and was a light blue color that seemed to glow. Deadeye pulled it from the tree and ate it in one gulp. As soon as it passed its mouth a savage burn in its head caused it drop from the tree and hit the ground.

Deadeye lay where it had fallen and felt a savage burn within itself and clenched its body as it felt something _grow_ inside itself and it roared. After the burn had stopped it looked at the corpse of the grey thing that had fought with thunder and walked towards it, instincts it suddenly had and when it had reached the corpse and suddenly it regulated a vicious black liquid on the creature's arms. Deadeye looked at the liquid saw the same color of the blessing liquid and grabbed the arms and tore chunks of flesh out of were the liquid had hit and suddenly it wounded what it wanted from the creature, Deadeye thought off the thunder the creature had used, how it had used it to help it attack the others and suddenly the burning started again. This time Deadeye noticed its hands, feet and stomach were where the burn was concentrated and after a minute it ended and Deadeye flexed its muscles. Feeling something was different about itself it threw a punch at the tree it had dropped from and _unleashed_ what it was feeling just before impact, releasing a blast of electricity that burned the trunk. Deadeye looked with wild eyes at what it had done and realized what the fruit it had eaten had caused to happen, it had gained the power to release the blessing on command that its sire had denied its siblings. Protector now was a weakling compared to its magnificence, now it was the most powerful of its siblings; quite awed chanting caused it to pause in thing.

"Drolo, drolo." The awed chanting continued and caused it to turn towards the other Goblins that had fought with it and it looked at them, considering what to do. Its sire had kept from them the power to _change_ to control them, if they revealed what it could do now it was sure to end up in its sire's stomach. Then the only thing to do was to make sure they never passed on what they had witnessed, but how to make sure they never told when they returned and with their skills it couldn't kill them, they could be of use to it, so what to do with them...

Deadeye went still and looked at the two wounded Goblins took stock of their injuries before Deadeye gained a vicious grin as it started to walk over towards them, electricity flowing up its arms. The two of them looked at Deadeye and started to shake in fear and release pitiful sounds as he came towards them and held each other. But Deadeye only put its hand on their shoulders and smiled at them, its grinning face meet their confused gazes.

Deadeye walked out of the ruin with two of the grey creatures over its shoulders. This would make its sire look at it with respect and if it gave the gift of mutations, not _blessings_ as that old fool told them to it then it would take muscle to make it think it still controlled it. Deadeye stopped at the foot of the staircase and looked back towards the ruins with a smile on its face. After it had _helped_ the other two and fed them it had stalked throughout the ruins looking for the last grey creature but it had escaped. But on its exploration Deadeye had discovered _things_ in it that it felt it could use. The thing it had eaten had _changed_ Deadeye, it could think clearer then it could before and it felt something else was different about it, but it would act like it hadn't changed. It decided that after it had returned to its sire with the corpse from now on whenever it would go on the hunt it would return here, prepare for dealing with its sire and choose who it would bring back here, the two it left could be seen from the doorway with their hands clenched, giving homage to their new leader. Like the things they had fought, they would learn to wield _tools_ and those two would be the start of the new thing it was making, the three crests on their heads and their improved muscles the signs that they followed it now, even over their creator. It had spoken to them of how they were little better than… _slaves_. Yes that was the word, slaves to their maker, why should they toil why it lounged around and plot against a single foe that had bested it years before, why should they _slave_ away for it, what benefit did that give to them?!

The two had been unsure of what Deadeye had offered them before it had spit on one of the corpse and feed parts of it to them and then they knew it spoke the truth. They swore to defend the ruin until it returned, the other plants in the ruin and the stream would be a source of substance for them until then, and one day when it was ready it would feast on its sire, take all that it was and then it would kill and _destroy_ that over protective fool and rule. They were both wrong in their approaches, it could see that now, a leader must be strong and ruthless to lead others, not rule by holding them back and fear, not by working together with the weaklings. Those were the ways those who were truly weak did things; to be a true leader one to be strong, clever and ruthless! And now all it had to do was cover up the passage until it was ready to strike against its sire, and then it could strike against all of them. So deep was it in its thoughts as it climbed the staircase of the future before it and the revelation it had had that it never noticed something was watching as it entered the passage, a figure with woman like curves hidden in shadows who smiled before moth like energy wings formed on her back and carried her away.

The front of the cave that Ash had entered yesterday was very different then how it had been before his visit; the tall grass in front of the cave mouth had been burned to the ground by the fire Serena had ordered had exposed the cave's mouth to the tree line. In front of the opening many young looking Bidoofs were playing under the watchful eyes of their parents. The pack leader was overlooking everything as it walked around the burned areas with two of its lieutenants as it overlooked the damage to its territory, its pack would have to change its habits for a while, keep the young in the caves but eventually things would go back to normal.

"Bib arel biba biba." One of its lieutenants chide it's leader as they walked back towards the others. The leader did wince, the trainer yesterday had only taken the smallest piece of crystal as he had said and had acted respectively but it had attacked him and his team because since they had moved into this cave non local Pokémon and humans had been spying on them, trying to drive them out and a few times some of his followers had found metal things near the underwater entrance. To find a trainer coming out of their den after they were shot at, it was just too much for him to stand at that point.

"Rock Tomb, block the cave entrence!" An oily voice roared before rock pillars suddenly exploded out of the ground before the cave, blocking the entrance. At the same time a red bipedal Pokémon with yellow flame designs led two grey skinned humanoid Pokémon that came charging out of the woods across the burned lands, throwing sparking light yellow orbs of energy at the Bidoofs as they ran.

"Bibarel!" The leader called to its followers, trying to rally them but before they could get in formation black balls of energy started to rain from the sky, targeting those who had started to get their wits about them. It looked up to see two blue bat-like Pokémon with purple wing membranes circling downward, both of them firing the black spheres from their mouths at any target that seemed to be trying to rally the others.

The leader{[To be called Chipped from here on]} snarled at the Flying types and opened its mouth to fire a Water Gun at the Goldbats when suddenly glowing green seeds hit the ground around him and exploded. After Chipped shook its head it looked up and saw a bipedal, mushroom-like Pokémon standing on the rocks blocking the cave entrance. It snarled as it saw it fire seeds at is dazed followers and saw vines sport from the seeds as they hit and felt something slam into him and pushed him backwards. Looking up he saw the Magmar leering at him before it raised a flame covered fist and punched him in his face, sending him flying.

"Just stay down ya stupid Bibarel." A sleazy voice said as a man with black hair in a dark blue suit with a sneer on his square face came walking across the clearing with two men in black suits wearing sunglasses following behind him. He stopped and looked down at Chipped with an evil looking smirk on his face. One of the men held Chipped down while another put a muzzle and then the two men grabbed his arms and legs and lifted him upwards.

"You've been a thorn in my side for months now you little fucker, you and your clan. This place was the perfect place to ice somebody and the crystals grew fast enough to harvest for a good side channel, but when you lot moved in it just seemed to be the end of that. Your strength and the way you used the surroundings to hold my boys off, never thought to take that away, might have to give that kid a better payment then I put down, I'll tell him it's because you guys moved in _without_ my knowledge, that'll keep him from asking questions." The squared face man said as he looked around the clearing. He looked at Chipped and noticed that his eyes had widened at when he mentioned keeping someone from asking questions.

"Yeah, that trainer that bothered you yesterday, I sent him here on a lie. All I had to do was send a sniper to shoot at you and you ran back towards your den, of course I was hoping that you'd kill him, then I'd have been able to sell you pack as rabid, then I would have been able to just kill you all and then I would have gotten a medal, but he got away clean and now I have to pay him for his effort." The man said with a huff. He looked at Chipped with a smirk on his face and looked around the clearing.

"But maybe this is a blessing in disguise; lots of my associates in other regions would pay a lot of money for cage fighters like your pack. But you, I have the perfect place to put that skull of yours once I remove the flesh." The man said with an evil snicker. Chipped just snarled through the muzzle and locked eyes with the man, sending all of his hate as he saw his pack, his _family_ being collected. The man just looked at the restrained Pokémon and gave a deep laugh from as he saw the expression on Chipped's face.

"Awww. Is the little water rat mad at the big bad human? This is the right and proper state of the world, me profiting off of you. Really, you gave me a good run for it, but the outcome was never in doubt. I plan and put this whole in motion, it would take an act of god to stop this." He started to laugh before a cry caused him to pale in shock and sputter.

"Manectric, Wild Charge at the Machoke at the right!" A feminine voice called out with a savage roar. A blue quadrupled Pokémon with a yellow mane glowing yellow charged at one of the grey Pokémon and body slammed it to the ground, sparks flashing over the Machoke's body. A woman with green hair in a police woman uniform was running towards them leading other officers and their Pokémon. The two men holding Chipped dropped him and started to back up, both recalling the two grey Pokemon.

"What the fuck are you doing?!" The man demanded as the bats started to fly towards the men wearing sunglasses.

"Our contract says that if the police come we run away, he who fights and runs away, lives to fight another day." Was the only replay as the two men started to back up and turn to run. As the bat Pokémon started to angle to grab them another voice cried out.

"Fletchling, Razor Wind on the Golbats, keep them away from their trainers!" A familiar voice called out from behind as two crescent-shaped energy waves flew and knocked the Golbats away from their trainers. Chipped looked up and saw the trainer from yesterday holding his sword as a girl with a spear ran with him, around them were the Pokémon from yesterday and by the girl was a fox like Pokémon.

"I'm guessing you must be the person that gave that TM as a reward for a crystal column, a Mr. Nemo I believe. Quite smart using an ancient Pokélantis word for No One; and with a TM as collateral no one would believe that you would have walked away after you received word that someone had completed your quest." The trainer said as he held his sword pointed at the named Nemo as a red bird Pokémon hovered over its trainer's head.

"How the hell did you…" Nemo snarled as the green haired woman and the people with her started to surround the three people as a male teen with blond hair helped a teen girl check over Chipped followers, those still conscious were standing between the teens and the action, ready to defend their fellows.

"Quite simply, this wasn't the first and it likely won't be the last time someone tried to use a quest to have a trainer do their dirty work. And it's only the what, fifth time it's happened to me." The teen said with a sigh as he raised his sword as the woman moved closer silently.

"Once I realized that the quest would have a wait for payment, I asked my friend Clemont over there about the local laws for Pokémon habits and when I did a small scan on local rare crafts, I discovered that jewelry the same shade as the crystal used to be sold for quite a sum, and searching missing person reports, it was quite easy to paint a picture for Jenny to come with me." He continued as Nemo's face started to go red. Before Jenny could grab him a spiral of fire cut her off from Nemo as both the red Pokémon and the mushroom Pokémon took up positions around him.

"Breloom, Rock Tomb, cut that bitch off from us, Magmar, up and strike!" Nemo screamed as he drew forth a large two handed sword. As the Breloom stomped on the ground, more pillars cut Jenny and the others off from Nemo, Chipped and the two teens facing Nemo and his Pokémon.

"Boss what about us?" One of the suits cried out from the other side of the wall.

"You were running, my _contract_ says I don't help those who run away from trouble." Nemo said coldly as he looked at the trainer before him, watching as he moved infront of his female companying.

"Might I have the name of the fool who ruined my plans?" Nemo asked flatly as he spared a glance at the girl behind the boy. _That girl, where have I seen her before? I'll knock her out and take her with me and interrogate at my leisure. And if I can't make some money off her I can sell her._

"Ash of Kanto, not at your service sir." Ash said as he raised his sword and shield.

"Ash…" the girl said as she looked at him.

"Take care of that Breloom, I'll handle him. Froakie, Fletchling try to deal with that Magmar." Ash said before he dashed at Nemo who block his stab with his sword, pushing Ash backwards and slicing down with his own sword, Ash countered with his shield, blocking it and standing still despite the force Nemo put into it.

When the wall was formed Clemont was shocked for a second before the Magmar jumped onto the rocks and started to throw Flame Throwers at anyone who tried to climb up the rocks before a Water Pulse hit it before Fletchling started to peck at its head. Clemont eyed the two Suits and saw them release their Machokes and saw the Golbats starting to fly back towards their trainers. _We have to keep them apart, that's the only way we'll be able to capture them, we can't let them escape._

"Mandibuzz, high flight, do the Hurricane Dash!" Lilly cried out, shocking Clemont back to see Lilly release her Mandibuzz which flew through the two Golbats, a whirlwind around her that knocking both Golbats away from their trainers. _I won't leave her to fight alone!_ Clemont swore as he threw out Bunnelby's Pokéball, releasing his Ground type.

"Bunnelby, let's start with a high Wild Charge at the right Golbat!" Clemont called out to his as he saw the two Golbats angle towards Mandibuzz. Bunnelby jumped at the Golbat as it glowed yellow, strike it target and sending both of them back downwards with Golbat between

"Thanks Clemont! You hand right I've got left!" Lilly called out to him as she sent him a smile.

"Thanks Lilly. Don't let up Bunnelby, Grass Knot to keep it down and Double Slap!" Clemont ordered Bunnelby whose eyes glowed green before large green roots sprouted from the earth around the downed Golbat and tied it down tight, while it struggled to escape Bunnelby's ears started to glow white they started to repeatedly slap it until Golbat went limp.

Lilith smirked as she saw Clemont and his Pokemon handle the Golbat and noticed that her prey was trying flying towards the Magmar. She grinned as she took stock of the current situation as her Mandibuzzflew after their foe. _I can use this to help the prince's Pokemon out, I just need to wait for the right moment…NOW!_

"Dark Pulse, rake them!" She called out to her Flying type who opened its mouth and formed a black sphere in her mouth and then shot beam of black and purple circles at the Golbat. It dodged the beams and it hit Magmar, and while it was stunned Froakie shot another Water Pulse and knocked it off the wall and it crashed onto the other side of the wall away from its trainer. Golbat flew towards its trainer when Bunnelby glowing yellow body slammed it to the ground and jumped away from it.

"Finish it Mandibuzz, Air Slash!" Lilith cried out, just before two saw-like energy blades shot from Mandibuzz's wings and hit Golbat as it tried to get back into the air, knocking it out.

"Come on, we've got to get around that wall to help Ash and Serena!" Lilith called to Clemont as she ran towards the wall.

 _Ash is trusting me to handle that Pokémon, I won't let him down._ Serena thought as she looked at the Breloom and noticed that it was looking at Fenikken with a look of contempt on its face. Serena saw it spit a seed at Fenikken and reacted, slicing it in two with her naginata's blade.

"Fenikken, get in close use Ember!" Serena said as she kept one eye on Ash's sword fight.

"Fenn ikk!" Fenikken cried as it ran at the Grass Type and shot an Ember attack. Breloom dodge it until it ran against the rock wall it had made and looked around.

"Get in there and use Scratch!" Serena called out.

Fenikken ran at her opponent as her claws gained a white glow and slashed at its head, scoring hits before it lunged to the right and opened its mouth and formed a yellow red sphere before the rock it was standing in front of started falling towards it and when it hit an explosion from the sphere knocked it out, sending shards of the stone flying. Between the opening Clemont, Lilly and police officers looked at the downed Grass Type in confusion. Serena meet the eyes of Clemont who could only shrugged at what his action had done.

"That was very surprising Serena, wait a minute, where's Ash?" Clemont asked before he noticed Ash trading blows with Nemo as Ash seemed to be falling backwards towards the river with Nemo's back to them.

"Never mind, there he is." Clemont gulped before he drew his axes and started to move towards the duel when Serena put her naginata across his path, stopping him from advancing.

"Wait, Ash and I were originally trained under a Blade Master back in Kanto, Ash won't forgive us if we interfere with his duel, trust him." Serena said with a hard look on her face, locking her eyes with Clemont's so she didn't notice Lilly start before looking at Ash more closely.

"But he's!" Clemont exclaimed but Serena just shook her head. Serena eyed the police trying to get by and moved forward with her Pokemon joining her to stare them down.

"We wait for it to finished one way or another before anyone interferes with them. If you are that hungry for battle then come and try me." Serena said with a forceful tone of voice that caused Lilly to look at her.

Ash smiled as he saw Serena stop Clemont and Lilly from coming to interrupt his battle and stop the officers from interring as well as he dodged the strikes of Nemo's sword. _Guess Serena still remembers Teaches lessons about duels, I should have told her I got rid of those ideals years ago. But this is working out perfectly a few more feet and it's over._

"Your minions are captured, your Pokémon are down, why not just surrender?" Ash asked as he dodged backwards.

Nemo gritted his teeth and looked around, and winced when he noticed that his Breloom was knocked out and he couldn't see his Magmar either. Nemo looked behind him and noticed that no one human was coming towards them and turned to his opponent with an arrogant look in his eyes that made Ash smirk on the inside.

"Well then I just have to take you hostage and I can still walk away! After all you've been falling back…." Nemo began only to stop when he noticed the look Ash had on his face. _Why does that punk look that that, wait…he couldn't have!_ Nemo looked around and really took stock of just where he was and what Ash had done since he started slashing at the boy.

"I've been falling back, making ground between you, Serena and keeping you away from your Magmar, did you know that their able to Teleport? And your two minions, if they had been on the same side you might have been able to force a retreat together but instead you here, alone and at my mercy." Ash said as he grinned. With every word Ash caused Nemo to go white before his face went red and he gained a look of rage in his eyes and started to smile sickly. Seeing the deranged look on his opponent's face Ash decided to ask for help.

"OI! Serena I got rid of Teach's moral code years ago, come help!" Ash called out, startling Serena who followed after Clemont as he raced towards Ash and Nemo with Lilly right behind him.

Nemo gritted his teeth and tried to slash Ash who merely met the sword with his shield and when Nemo was over balanced sliced a shallow cut above Nemo's right eye. Ash smirked when he saw Nemo move pass a boulder and smiled.

" Once the others get closer you're done. But I think I'll finish it here and now. PIKACHU, THUNDER!" Ash barked as he leapt backwards before a massive bolt of electricity hit Nemo from behind the boulder and after being hit fainted and dropped to the ground twitching.

"Pika Pi!" Pikachu said as he sat on top of the boulder as the he watched the results of his actions with a smirk on his face.

"So you can take the girl out of Kanto but you can't take Kanto out of the girl. Thanks Serena, if I still believed in that I would have appreciated it." Ash said as the others came around him while the officers collected Nemo. Ash noticed Chipped was shepherding his followers towards the river a bit away from the people and met its eyes and exchanged a short nod before Chipped darted into the water.

"I'm glad we left Bonnie behind, she could have done without that. But really Ash, how did you know?" Lilly asked as she watched Nemo being carried away. Ash gave a small laugh before he pulled his hat down to shield his eyes.

"What put it all together was that the quest had such a short time to complete and the payout was a few days. If you want something right away, you pay for it as soon as possible, that's just how people act." Ash said with a smile on his face as he led the others back towards Jenny.

Jenny looked up from direction her officers to take the captives to the van for transport back to the station and booking and smiled when she saw Ash and the others coming over.

"I have to thank you for this. If what we learned from that rant we heard from him before we interpreted him pans out, then a lot of missing person reports are going to be solved very soon." Jenny said as she smiled at the teens as she led them back towards the road.

"No thanks needed Officer, I was just doing my duty but I have to ask, what is to be done to the TM and the crystal column I retrieved?" Ash asked as they walked.

"The TM I'm said to say is evidence against him until after the trial, the column is yours to keep. I'm sorry if that's not exactly helpful but we need that to help with the recording we took to put him away. I'm sorry but it'll probably last a few months at the least." Jenny said with a small sigh.

"Didn't you need it to help with the gym battle Ash?" Lilly asked as she looked at him.

"Not really Lilly, I actually discovered a way around part of her tactics during the quest, when next I face her; I think I'll win that gym battle after all." Ash said with a smirk on his face.

Lilly just shook her head and went still when she was a gnarled looking tree with black flowers growing near the road. The others had walked on and Clemont stopped when he noticed that Lilly had dropped back. He turned to see her looking at the tree with a look of shock and awe on her face. She scrambled and grabbed her Pokédex and quickly manipulated it before she put it away and looked at the tree.

"What is it Lilly?" Clemont's question caused the others to turn and look at Lilly.

"I never saw a wild tree with black flowers before, a friend of mine would love to know about this." Lilly said as she walked back to the others. Clemont looked at the tree and turned to Lilly with a smile on his face.

"That, it's only a Rainbow tree." Clemont said with a laugh in his voice.

" _Rainbow Tree_?" Lilly asked with a tone of shock with her face slack.

"Yeah, there are a lot of them all over. The name comes from the fact that you can find them with different collared leaves, even when their near each other! People think it has to do with the soil they grow in, difference down to the patch of dirty they grew in. You usually find them near or in old ruins all over. I remember a few pictures I saw once where there were three of these tree together in a row, flowers of red, blue and black in that order." Clemont said with a laugh as the others looked at the tree.

Lilly just looked at him and her mind was going a mile a minute. _I can't believe it, wild Decade Trees all over Kalos, I have to tell Teacher about this, the things that they could be used for alone; she has to know about this. But wait, that weapon Nimue told me about, it might have affected them, if so then they could have turned into normal trees for centuries, then there might be more all over, I once she comes back I'm sending her out nightly to see if she can find any nearby, that could save a life._

"Now you've taken pictures of the damages right? And the corpse is secured right? And you've got your weapon on hand?" Brock questioned Salma as she put the last of her supplies away and prepared to travel back to Viridian City with the samples they had acquired.

"Yes _dad_ , I got everything ready. I took enough pictures that even the most skeptical person would admit something bad happened here, with those, the webs and the corpse we recovered should get the League involved right?" Salma said with a small smile as she put her quiver on her back, causing Yuji to snort, causing her and Brock to look at him leaning against the cabin wall.

"Salma, don't you remember what they did during the Siege? The League sat on their asses, hiding from the problem until the gyms handed it." Yuji spat with a scowl on his face.

"A lot of those people aren't in power anymore. And a threat like this is something the League would defend against." Agalia said as she and her brother joined the others outside.

"If the League does more then take credit for what the doc did when he set this up I'll be surprised." Yuji said with a snort, causing Agalia to scowl at him.

"The League is to coordinate a solid defense then they have to take time to do so. If you're so sure they won't, then why don't you go with her to convince them." Agalia said with a huff. Salma noticed that Yuji's eyes had gone hard and looked right at Agalia

"Coordinate a way to steal the credit you mean. And convince the league? Outside of the Conferences I wouldn't trust them to acknowledge that a Snorlax is rolling at them before it runs over them." Yuji bit back at Agalia, causing her to go red with anger.

"Why I'd outa…." Agalia began until Brock interrupted him.

"Enough! You two stop fighting now! Salma is to go back to Viridian on her own! We're heading to our second objective and then make a decision based on what we find there, is that understood people." Brock barked with a scowl on his face.

"Yeah doc, calm down. I know I talked a lot of trash about the League, but do you really think we should go on with what we found? If we turn back then not matter what we've accomplished something, the state of the cabin should make them realize something is happening right?" Yuji said with his hands up, trying to calm Brock down.

"Like you said Yuji, the League sat around when a threat to all of Kanto was underway once before, this time it might just be a threat to a single area of Kanto. We need definite proof that a threat is underway, that's our mission, to find that irrefutable proof that the Viridian area is under threat, that's the only way the league will get involved. But you're mission is just as important Salma, if anything you carry back to the City can help stop this _attack_ then that is the most important thing you can do. Everyone else, mount up! We're burning daylight and we're not stopping until we reach our next waypoint." Brock said with a sigh as he released his Steelix, prompting the others to do the same with their Pokémon.

Salma watched as Yuji got on his Tauros and got on her Onix . _Yuji has always been a bit hot headed, but he tried to get a rise out of her why? And last night he never took his eyes off them and always kept a wall behind him and never let either of them get out of his line of sight, what does he know? I'll talk to him about when I see him again._ Salma nodded to herself and nudged her Onix and waved to the others as they moved up the mountains.

"Be careful Yuji!" Salma called out as she and her Pokemon started to move back down the mountain.

"Watch yourself Salma and remember, don't fight to win, fight to live!" Yuji called back as the party moved out of sight. Neither one of them noticed a black clad figure jump into the shadows cast by the cabin and retrieve his own sample of webbing before he moved towards the mountain side, swiftly climbing up and following after the party.

Shadow smirked as he watched he watched Brock lead the way through the trees on the mountain. _Who would of thought that old Flinty's kid would have his head on right. But I don't know why I should be surprised, he held the Gym and his younger siblings together on his own for years and dealt with the Siege as a Gym Trainer. And with one of them gone, if those two are with under orders to kill them, I might be able to save Brock and that other one if those two force the issue._ Shadow just shook his head and moved upwards, careful not to make a noise to let anyone he was following notice any trace of his movement. As he jumped from tree to tree he noticed that he hadn't heard a single bird, animal or Pokémon for a few minutes now, a bad sign all things considered.

Brock patted Steelix head as he was carried along the path. He looked around and sighed, this was looking worse than that time in Hoenn with that Chimera. He looked back and noticed that Yuji had fallen behind Agalia and Kunz who, he saw were talking as they rode along, Agalia looking along the trial while Kunz looked straight ahead. Brock frowned as he saw how far apart the party was and caught Yuji's eyes and motioned for him to move up.

Agalia looked to the side and saw that Yuji was looking at her and her brother as he passed and watched him move, a frown forming on her face.

"Think he knows _something_ about us sister?" Kunz said softly as their Pokémon carried them up the mountain. They watched as Yuji stopped his Tauros next to Brock's Steelix and start to talk with him.

"Maybe, but I can't think about what I could of that would of let him know something was up. Or he could just hate the League." Agalia said with a huff.

"Maybe he does know something. Could have been anything, we know nothing about him behind the info we were able to get from the Gym web site about the trainers there. Could have been anything but he might be a problem before we finish this mission." Kunz said as he turned to look at her. Agalia just huffed and shook her head at the task they had been giving.

"Really, to take out even a former Gym Leader would cause this situation to much attention; we have to be absolutely sure no matter what if we have to, we're lucky were close to the boarder, we can escape to Johto easily." She said as she looked at the two people ahead of them.

"If they discover evidence about the Orderthen we have to, if anyone of them awakens _that_ power we have to. If they tell people that _people_ can use it who knows what could happen. The Order has put too much effort to keep the larger plan on track, a disruption of that scale would derail it for decades at least, still the _incident_ when we received our orders will let us handle the problem we've been having in Viridian." Kunz said flatly, causing Agalia to chuckle darkly.

"Always nice to have something to pin on someone we need to erase. But thatthat Oak bitch, she's been planning something for years, why the others don't purge her section I don't know." Agalia said with a snarl. Kunz nodded and went still when he looked forward.

"Wait, what's that?" Kunz said, causing Agalia to look forward and stare in shock

Brock looked up from his conversation with Yuji and stared in shock at what was coming down the trail. A horde of Mankey with a Primeape leading the way were right before them, the Primeape was holding a large branch in its hands as it stood in front of the other Fighting Types.

"Brock, those Pokémon, their all wounded." Yuji said softly, Brock looked closer and saw that all the Pokémon had wounds and a few of the Mankey's were helping others along, and most telling was that some of them had webbing on their bodies.

"Hey, I'm a Doctor; I could help your troop if you let me." Brock called to the Primeape leading the group. The Primeape seemed to understand what was being said and shot a look towards the Mankeys behind it. Brock tried to think what to do next and decided to try to show that the Fighting types didn't need to go anywhere with him.

"Yes, if you just wait a bit here I could…." Brock began before the Mankeys started to go white and fidget and seemed to look behind them with fear, causing the Primeape to go still and turn, and with a hard look to its eyes gestured for the party ahead of them to move aside and let them pass by. Brock cursed and gestured to the others to hug the wall; looking back he noticed that both Agalia and Kunz hesitated for a second before they recalled their Pokémon and moved to the side. As the troop passed by Brock noticed Yuji trying to get his attention and signaled that it could wait. After the Pokémon had moved on Yuji walked over to Brock with a frown on his face.

"That Primeape was scared, it was _scared_ for its troop." Yuji said as the others joined them.

"Yes it was, did you notice how it reacted when I said I could look at them here? Whatever's happening on this mountain, it wanted to get its troop off as fast as it could, and that is so bad for us." Brock said as he shook his head.

"That has to have something to do with what's happening on this mountain. I though the cabin showed that something was wrong but this, this blows it out of the water." Yuji said as he looked back towards Viridian. _Dam it, if whatever these things are so bad this far up then they might just as bad farther down. I hope you make it back home safe Salma, I really, really do._

"You're probably right about that, but it doesn't change a thing. We need solid evidence, without that then this whole mission was a waste of time. All it would take is the single chance that we're wrong and they won't move at all." Brock said with a scowl.

"Oh come on! A group of Fighting Types just ran scared! That has to be enough evidence to get the League involved!" Yuji exclaimed with shock as the others looked at Brock.

"I agree with the Gym Trainer, a pack of Pokémon just ran from the mountain and wouldn't stop to be healed, that has to mean something." Kunz said flatly, causing Yuji to look at him.

"None of us recorded it; every League official who we tell will just say that we made it up or it was the result of something else, a stronger pack taking over their territory maybe. If they have a single reason to deny help they will, we have to have air tight evidence. So move out! We're heading up this mountain and we're not stopping until we reach our destination." Brock said as he released his Steelix and it moved its body down to let him climb onto its head and moved up the trail. Agalia and Kunz shared a quick look before they released their Pokémon and followed after Brock. Yuji just looked back down the trail and just sighed and climbed onto his Tauros, not reacting anyway what so ever that he had seen a flash reflecting off something black farther down the trail, more sure than ever that something was following them, but were they friend or foe?

Salma sighed as she looked ahead as she rode her Pokémon back towards Viridian. She was worried about the others, but Brock was right, what they had recovered from the cabin was important enough to send back. If the doctors could use what they had found to create a vaccine, then it would have been worth it to leave them alone, but she was still worried. Her Onix gave a simple moan, causing her to look up and smile at her Rock Type.

"I'm fine boy, really. I'm just worried about the others." Salma said as she rubbed Onix 's horn and looked ahead. _Calm down girl, it's just nerves, you're already half way there already, just a few more hours and you're home. Then you just have to get to the hospital, drop off my cargo and then touch base with the Gym. After that I can grab anyone who would come with me and just charge back the mountain and provide backup to the team._ She was so deep in thought she didn't notice when they passed the clearing the party had stopped at before, she never noticed that the clearing was now thick with webbing going from plant to plant, nor did she or her Pokémon notice when her Onix moved through a webbing line across the path, breaking it as they moved.

Salma smiled as she rode on her Onix , they had finally reached the last hill before the outskirts of Viridian, then once they passed the hill she would be able to connect her Local Gear with the signal tower and contact the hospital and let them know she was coming in, this would be over soon. She stretched and moved her head and went still when she noticed a tree a bit back from the trail had webs all over it.

"Onix, stop! I need the Tower now!" Salma barked as she grabbed Onix's horn. Obediently her Pokémon stopped and raised its body straight up, allowing Salma to look over the tops of the trees and take in the area. She went pale as she noticed most of the trees out of sight had webbing over them, and that each grouping of webs were connected to at least two others, and most convering was that some of the tree's leaves were starting to go brown in some places. _How long have they been here? This is worse than the cabin, I I have to get back to the gym; we need to send people out here to take care of this._ She went still when she noticed five forms move towards her through the woods.

"GO Machamp! Running defensive you two, we are getting back to Viridan!" She screamed as she threw out a Pokéball and Machamp jumped onto Onix's tail as they moved up the hill, looking back Salma saw the figures break from the tree line and charge up the hill after them. Salma noticed that all three didn't have hands like the sample she was bringing back two had stingers in place of the hands {[Warrior]} were led by a one with stingers and a horn on its head {[Alpha]}. Looking at the Gear around her wrist she breathed a sigh of relief as they crested the hill and she saw that she was finally in range of a tower and was able to connect and quickly moved to Jenny's number. looking

"Salma, what are you guys doing back already? What, did…" Jenny began before Salma interrupted her.

"Jenny shut and listen! I'm on Route 22 and I'm being chased by Chimeras! I'm alone, carrying cargo that and I need help!" Salma said as she looked back and saw her Machamp start to fire Focus blasts at the chasers.

"On Route 22?! I'll be there as soon as I can with my Pokemon, how many are chasing you?"

"I can see three but I saw five when I first saw them coming from the trees, please hurry." Salma said as she closed her gear and looked ahead, cursing when she saw two lines of webbing shoot at her Onix and felt when the two lines pull Onix to the side. Salma rolled off of her Onix and

"Machamp, try to deal with those three, I'll free Onix and help you!" Salma said as she drew a knife and ran towards her Pokemon and started to cut away at the strands holding it.

Machamp looked at the three forms running at him, noticing that the Alpha had dropped back to let the Warriors lead the charge. Machamp merely snorted and shot forward at the first warrior and dealt a devastating punch to its face, sending it backwards and behind the other who shot at Machamp with purple glowing stingers. Machamp took the blew and winced when as it felt the poison burn before delivering a sold chop to the skin connecting the stingers to the arm, breaking the chitin in two and then it kicked the Chimera backwards when it didn't react besides a small stare at its damaged limb. Looking at the damaged limb Machamp saw it the liquid harden and the Chimera give a few throws with its new club before it charged at Machamp again with the first one beside it. Jumping up Machamp fired a Focus Blast at the Warrior with two stingers and hit it on its backside, stunning it and then Machamp tried to find where the Alpha had gotten to; not finding it and the other Warrior with its news club arm was soon taking up Machamp's attention.

After she cut a strand of webbing Salma jumped when she saw and heard her Onix start to struggle and lunged to the side and rolled into a crouch and saw two living copies of the corpse she was transporting {[Worker]}, with one of them facing her while behind it the other started to web up her Onix. Quickly she drew her bow and as one action shot an arrow at the Worker farthest back and hit its eye, killing it. Grabbing another arrow she fired it at the last remaining Worker, her arrow hit center mass on its head before she felt webbing hit her and she fell to the ground. Rolling she saw the Alpha leer at her with a raised purple glowing stinger and closed her eyes, not wanting to see her end.

"Hyper Beam!" A voice called, Salma opening her eyes as before an orange beam hit the Alpha, forcing it away from her and the beam tor off its left stinger. Salma turned her head towards where the voice had come from and saw Jenny and her Gym's Leader Giovanni, with her Growlie and his Nidoking standing in front of them.

"Man am I glad to see you two." Salma said as she looked at them as Jenny walked towards her and knelt down taking out a small knife. Nidoking thundered past them and charged at the Alpha, delivering blows that the Chimera dodged until it was next to the two Warriors

"I didn't know you were into this kind of stuff Sal, _this_ one of the reasons you always hanging around?" Jenny joked as she cut through the webbing.

As soon as her arms were free she looked around and picked up her bow and aimed an arrow towards the battle when Giovanni put a hand on her shoulder. She looked at him and he gestured towards her Onix.

"Get your Pokemon ready for combat my dear. Jenny and I will hold the line." Gionvani said, but before Salma ran towards her Pokemon she paused and turned.

"Boss its bad, once this is done you two need to see something in the woods." Salma said as she looked at him.

"I'm afraid that won't happen, once your Onix is free we're falling back, and I would hurry I think that reinforcements for the other side are almost here." Giovanni's cold voice caused Salma to follow Giovanni's gaze and saw other Chimeras coming into view at a distance. Salma stared for a second before she ran towards her Onix and started to savage the lines holding it down when it was freed it looked at the advancing forms and fired a Hyper beam over the heads of the near combatants. The beam hit just before the advancing Chimera and threw up a dust cloud that blocked the advancing horde from sight.

"Growlie, Flame Thrower on club arm!" Jenny roared out as Nidoking grabbed the Alpha and threw it towards the cloud. The clubbed armed Warrior was engulfed when the flame spiral hit the Chimera. Nidoking nudge Machamp and started to run back towards its trainer who recalled it.

"Come on Salma, recall your Pokémon and lets go!" Jenny called as she ran down the hill towards her bike.

Salma had gotten on Onix and it was thundering along the path, move as fast as it could with Machamp running next to it. Within seconds Onix had go

"I can't! We're carrying bio samples for the doctors! We have to get back to Viridian with them or this would have been pointless!" Salma called back as Onix passed Jenny and Giovani

"Well said my dear, well said! Nidoking, aim a Blizzard at the top of the hill, make it heavy!" Giovanni roared as he got on the bike behind Jenny. Nidoking's eyes glowed blue before clouds formed and snow storm started at the top of the hill and was it Salma's imagination or were those lightning bolts striking the ground and hail too?! Salma looked at Giovanni as his Nidoking thundered alongside them; he had definitely earned his gym Leader position. The last thing she saw was a Warrior with ice on its body and stingers stagger out of the storm and stare after them before it turned and walked back towards its home. Salma felt a chill go down her spine as she looked towards the top of the mountain, from the damaged cabin to the Chimera that had attacked her; she hopped that the others would survive the mission and come back alive and in one piece.

 **Blade Master** : Master of human on human combat, has a code of Honor about duels.

 **Decade Tree** : Tree that takes over ten years to store nutrients and natural aura from the surroundings, it then condenses both into the fruit it bears. The fruit has many uses, it's able to increase and awaken Aura in humans and the flowers can be used as a component in either poison or medicine depending on the coloring; the fruit can also raise Pokémon abilities and it is rumored to cause mental capabilities to increase. Effects on Chimera unkown. Fruit looks like a blue pyramid, glows from aura

 **Local Gear** ; An inexpensive version of the Pokégear that pings off signal towers to allow communication; private security outfits uses variants that have installed handshake protocols to communicate between members


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Here's chapter 11, hope there's no problem with the text this time. I finished this at Midnight and I promise that I will have the next chapter finished before August, but I have a few RL problems that I hope to tackle this month so it'll be there when I can finish it. So thanks to all my readers and please drop a few reviews. One more thing, I changed a few minor points of grammer in chapters 5 and 9, just telling you all. will fix 9 and 5 tomorrow morning, sorry for problems

[ _Telepathic Communication_ ]

A boy with black hair in a white robe ran through a crowd of people, swiftly dodging each and every person in his way with a small Flying type with a black head resembling a musical note flying above him. _This is it; today I set sail on my ship first voyage! It's taken me years but I finally have it, my_ Graceful Traveler _is finally mine. And today I depart with my first cargo, a simple transport job to Ca'Volg_ _just up the coast! Sure it's not a cargo that'll give much money beyond upkeep, but it's a start and that's important most of all._ He thought as he ran through the crowed towards the docks.

"Be careful youngster, whatever you're after will still be there when you get there!" An old woman called as he ran past her. He laughed as he ran, for years he and his friends had worked like dogs for their shared goal and finally after so long they had it! He ran and spun around and jumped as he moved about, he was so happy he could burst into song.

"Excited, Captain?" A voice said and he turned back around and smiled when he saw the figure of his brother standing before him. Taller than him, his brother was a solid five foot tall with a black mustache on his olive colored face. He was wearing a white vest over a blue shirt and pants. He looked at his best friend, his brother in all but blood and his first mate Doubar. He smiled a grin that reached his blue eyes.

"Of course I am brother Doubar! Today we depart on our first voyage, our destiny's begin now! As soon as the cargo is loaded we're leaving port…" He trailed off as he saw the sheepish look on his friends face as the Flying type landed on his shoulder.

"Sorry Squall, but our departure has been delayed a bit. One of the city lord's ships was found adrift a few miles off shore, the ship was louted down to the hull with the crew held in the hold. The lord has decreed that all ships are to stay at port until noon, thankful he sent a copy of his decree with his seals so we won't be penalized when we deliver our cargo." Squall could only stare at his friend and shake his head with a frown on his face.

"Chatot, chat tot." His Chatot chatted at him as it rubbed its head against his. He rubbed its head and looked at Doubar with a no nonsense frown on his face.

"But the cargo is loaded right; we're ready to go as soon as we can? And I'm guessing the ship was marked by her wasn't it" Squall asked as he moved towards the docks, his Chatot taking flight and Doubar falling into step behind him with a laugh.

"Little brother everything is ready to sail, as soon as the gates open we can leave the port and sail to delivery our cargo. And your never guess who was the captain of the ship that was found." Doubar said with a grin on his face.

Squall looked at the grin on Doubar's face and went slack jawed. Slowly a grin started to form on his face as he looked at his friend.

"No… Not him!" Once Doubar nodded Squall leaned against a building and started to laugh madly as he started to cry. _Out of every one of the lord's flunkies, she had to humiliate him! Oh how I wish I could have seen his face when he realized what had happened, I wouldn't want to be him right now._ Squall thought as he laughed.

"Francisco El Yutra! You said you would capture that pirate bitch the next time you ran into her but instead she knocked you out, looted your ship and took my cargo!" Francisco's tan skin went white as he wilted under the tongue lashing his master; Lord Sadri Don Rodruss was giving him. Francisco had been under his master's command for years, dealing with _problems_ that affect his masters business for most of his employment. The pirate whore was the one person who had foiled him again and again; he had hoped that his sea trip would have gone unnoticed.

"I have no excuses m'lord. She knocked us out and moved us all while we were unconscious. The only thing I am happy about is that no one was injured at all." Francisco said as he looked straight ahead. Lord Sadri looked at his follower and turned to him with a snarl, meeting Francisco black eyes with his golden ones.

"IF ANY OF YOU WERE INJURED THEN THIS DEBACAL WOULDN'T BE SUCH A TOTAL FAILURE YOU FOOL!" Lord Sadri bellowed as his face grew red. His black hair was

"If any on you were hurt I would be able to make her bounty for the entire continent, but so far her actions only let me put a bounty in this single domain! I need to get rid of her before she begins to attract the wrong kind of attention!" Lord Sadri snarled out as he walked back and forth.

"My lord, anything to make up for the failure that I have caused. Any mission, any punishment you desire to give me I will accept without question." Francisco said as he bowed before his master. Lord Sadri looked at him before turning to look at the ship floating docked at the peer.

"That ship that you let her loot, it's your vessel now. Repair it, crew it, rearm it, it's all on you. I won't spend a single dollar on it!" His lord's words caused Francisco to look at him in shock before he looked at the ship a cold smile on his face as he thought of the opportunity that he was being given. The black markets whole sellers would by anything, even _stolen cargo_ so raiding the shipping of those against his master would help and give him capital to start out and the bounties on Chimera, pirates or Wild Pokémon was also a possibility. His smile grew as a name for his new ship appeared in his mind, a name that would strike fear in his enemies and would show the world what he truly was.

"My lord, the _Deceptive Avenger_ will become the one of the greatest of your fleet." Francisco bowed as Lord Sadri walked away from him and got in a limo that moved away from the docks. Francisco watched his master leave and turned towards his new ship, not noting Squall and Doubar had been eavesdropping from the crowd and each exchange a look as Francisco

"This is going to be trouble sooner or later little brother." Doubar said somberly as he followed Squall along the docks. Squall just nodded as he led the way through the hustle of the docks.

"Did you hear his tone of voice, he was thinking of how much he could _use_ that ship to further his master's agenda. How much that idiot could make on the side is probably just a bonus for him." Squall said as he walked as his Chatot landed on his right shoulder. Doubar put his arms behind his head and though out load.

"We do have a few defensive armaments, and our friend was making a few plans for refits to increase our bite. After we make our delivery to Ca'Volg we should look into what we need to make ourselves stronger." Doubar mused as they walked

"That is if he comes after us. All right so he will eventually." Squall said as he caught the look his friend was giving him. He and Francisco had a bit of a history.

"You two have been fighting for years, the only thing that kept is the war between you two so low key was that you two always had different objectives and goals. If we're on the same stretch of ocean out of sight of the Laws, I wouldn't put it past him to try and sink us or loot us." Doubar said calmly.

"Don't think too much about it brother, once we reach Ca'Volg we'll look for a cargo taking us farther up the coast, see if we can't find a free trade routes farther away, and we'll try and keep tabs on where our _friend_ is." Squall said as he smiled as they came into sight of their ship.

Sadri Don Rodruss got out of his limo, the snarl on his face not lessening as he looked over the beauty of the garden around his house. _That pirate bitch has been getting on my last nerve! Where is she selling them, everyone I have looking for my merchandises are coming up with nothing! And that foul Francisco_ _failed completely! How did she get them asleep?! That whore Nightsprout is ruining me! She has to be dealt with soon!_

"Welcome home O Lord!" Many female voices with a bland tone called out, caused him to look up with a smile. Before him in two lines were many seemingly female teenage humans in form fitting maid uniforms. A black haired woman wearing a black dress with a transparent shawl around her shoulders walked towards him between the maids. Her black hair followed down her back and she had on black lipstick and black eyeliner that drew attention to her red eyes.

"Welcome home master, how was your outing?" The woman asked with a sensual purr to her voice as she bowed to him, revealing the tops of her breasts as she did so.

"Terrible, it was simply terrible. That bitch Nightsprout took my cargo again, and I'm still no closer to finding where she's selling them! But more importantly has my daughter returned my message about the ball? I need her here, Lord Magnus might be coming and I want to get a good impression, the Prince is what the game is about now!" He declared as he walked past her.

"The Lady Nudar sent a replay not long after you left master. She said she was finishing up her homework and that since she had a test tomorrow morning she decided to remain there to finish that and she would be back the day before the ball to allow her time to prepare properly. There was a delivery of beasts while you were out from _her_." She said as she followed after him.

"The composition of the delivery was what was promised?" He asked as he walked through his mansion towards his study, noting the preparations for the grand ball he was to have in three days. _That woman had better have delivered what she said she could or else I will have payment in her hide!_ He swore as he listened to the report.

"Yes master, the order is complete; the Flower Cats are the Bewitching Aroma verity from what I saw, the Ruby Eagles are of Fire and the Diamond Hounds are second White, the Guardians have shields and spears and there was one in a rather large crate that I was told was too opened by you alone my lord." She purred as they walked towards a door guarded by two tall figures in full plate armor wielding Spears and shields. Passing by the Guardians through the door, a ten foot cube stood in the center of the room the two walked into. Marveling at what was before him, Sadri smiled as he walked around the ten foot box, if he could get that pirate bitch in his sights then this monster would kill her, finally ending the problems she had been causing to his busness.

"And how was our trace attempt?" Sadri asked as he ran his hand over the crate. While using, owning or making Homunculus wasn't illegal, the makers of them were usually in the public eye so the fact that the marker he had been dealing with only operated in the underground presented him with an opportunity, finding who they were would grant him some power over that person that, power that might help him to finally ascend higher in station.

"I have to report a complete failure Master Sadri. Whoever made them sent Guardians to carry the cargo and put the payment into a Blue Ruby Eagle. As soon as it and three Ruby Eagles took off the Guardians started to decompose and soon were nothing but slime." The woman's voice caused Sadri to turn and glare at her.

"That's not good enough Orchid! I need something to change; I need my daughter to make a good impression on Lord Magnus, if I can get the maker under my employment then I might become a Highlord!" He bellowed at the woman.

"Rest assured master some of our operatives are following the Eagle as we speak, we will at least know the direction it's going in at least." Orchid said as she bowed before her master. Sadri snarled as he looked at the crate and clenched his right fist as it started to glow brown and struck the crate. The wood crumbled to dust, revealing an 8 foot tall form that radiated danger. Sadri merely looked at the papers and looked the 8 foot Homunculus and turned to his assistant.

"Miss Orchid, please call back all operative you have tracking our payment. Send a message that I would like to purchase two more of these wonders. I will be in my study, do come and tell me if anything else happens would you. Oh, please call my daughter and tell you to keep to the main paths, I don't want one of my _procurers_ to target her, use an inventive reason for why I asked." Orchid watched her master walk away and she just huffed and shook her head as she walked out of the room, a thousand other details to be done before the party, never noticing the eyes of the Homunculus glowed red in the darkness of the room or that the two Guardians eyes glowed as well.

A door opened to a darkened room, until suddenly the lights came on, revealing the room had pink painted walls, a vanity mirror and makeup table next to a dresser in front of a bed with pink curtains. An area in the center of the room seemed to simmer and a bipedal, gray-brown, fox-like Pokémon with a crimson main with spikes and a tall woman with a voluptuous build with a large chest appeared from the simmer. She had on a visor over her eyes and a bandanna mask around her and was wearing a tight black cat suit with three Pokéballs on her waist. She had two cutlasses on her back and her long black hair flowed down to the small of her back. The woman nodded to her Pokémon and sat before the vanity and as her hand started to glow black she opened a drawl and removed a hair brush with a crystal on its back, half golden and the other black. As she moved it along her hair with her glowing hand her hair turned golden blond and started to curl at the ends. As her Pokémon looked at its trainer she smiled and gave it her orders.

"Go ahead and get the food for the others ready girl, the supplies I brought should last you three for a month so tonight we're all eating together. Still with everything our last mission gave us, a day off is just what I need." She said as she walked over to her dresser and pulled out some blue jeans and a white blouse as her Pokémon left the room. She chuckled as she channeled a little Aura into her hair and smiled as it started to flow into braids.

"I am so glad Lady Camilla published that book on how to use Aura manipulation to handle your hair, it makes changing my appearance so much easier." She said to herself as her started to undress.

She walked into a kitchen wearing the cloths she had pulled out with three more Pokéballs and saw her Pokémon put down two dishes full of Pokémon food and go back for two more, her trainer walked by and put down the final two dishes and threw her Pokéballs. Out of them came a brown avian Pokémon with a vulturine neck and broad, powerful wings, a white humanoid Pokémon that looked like it was wearing a kimono, a feminine looking humanoid with white skin and looked like it was wearing a green dress and a large bouquet of ornate yellow flowers around its neck, a Bellossom and a white marine Pokémon that resembles a cross between a sea lion and a mermaid with a blue tail. She smiled as she got out a sandwich for herself.

"Dig in girls, after the meals done we're relaxing for the rest of the day before Team Noble and I go back to the mansion!" She called as she started to eat her own food as her Pokémon celebrated. She smiled as she saw them talk about themselves as she ate. _I can't believe that it's been going so well. We've been saving so many of_ _ **them**_ _and getting them out of the Old Bastard's reach will take at least a month for the crew to get back here, enough for me to do some digging into his work again for a new target._ _Still how long can I keep my double life going, I need to find a way to keep finding his ships, maybe I could hire Happy Grandbull for a virus._ Her thoughts were running around her head as she reached for a remote and turned her TV and put the Contest channel on. A battle between a Charizard and an Incineroar was appeared on the screen as the girl and her Pokémon started to watch. The Charizard dodge the Incineroar and grabbed its arms, taking flight and throwing the Incineroar into the ground of the stage, sending a dust cloud. The crowd was silent as the dust cleared, revealing the Charizard with its right leg on the unconscious Incineroar, roaring its victory to the cheers of the stadium.

"And there you have it folks what a game! I wasn't sure about his chances, but here you have your Infernos Cup Champion!" The speaker was a man with dark skin and ruby collared hair in a black suit.

"Last year's Infernos Cup? I would have thought that one of this year's Contests would be shown about now." The trainer mused as she pouted as she ate her food. The screen changed, the award ceremony disappearing to show a screen that showed who was competing in this year's Region Tournament. The woman frowned as her eyes flew over the names, not finding the one she was looking for.

"So Lilith isn't competing this year, or is she the final boss at the Festival? She earned that at least." The girl muttered to herself as her phone started to ring. She sighed when she saw who was calling, her father's assistant, just what she didn't need right now.

"Girls, it's her, so stay quite you three." The woman said as she looked at her Zoroak, Froslass and Fearow as she put it to her ear.

"What do you want now Ms. Orchid? I already told you that I'll be home a day before the ball, what, did my father tell you to remind me to stay to the main streets? I always do that, really is he trying to insult my intelligence much?" She said as she started to gain a frown on her face.

"The master just wants you to be safe Ms. Rodruss." Orchid's voice came through the phone.

"Ms. Orchid, we both know he worry about me too much and please, call me Nudara." Nudara said as she sighed.

"Ms. Rodruss calling you by your first name would be a breach of my contract. And yes he did instruct me to remind you to keep to the main roads, but only because of a rumor that he heard when he was inspecting the damage Nightsprout did to his ship." Orchid said calmly as Nudara shot a smirk to her Pokémon who return it with their own.

"So what has she done now, sink the ship or leave the crew naked and asleep?" Nudara asked her Pokémon started to snicker.

"Please be safe mam, I will see you when you return." Orchid said as she ended the call. Nudara smirked at the phone and put it away,

"I guess she didn't take our performance on the raid that well girls, so that's another reason to have a good time tonight. So eat up and let's watch some TV before we get some sleep." Nudara said as her Pokémon started to cheer. And with that Nudara Rodruss, also know about the underworld as the pirate Lynda Nightsprout, sat down and relaxed with her team.

"Where are those three?" Dante snarled as he stalked around the campsite, the remaining Squires doing everything they could to not draw hi attention. A patrol group had failed to return last night and three groups had gone in search of them, and already two had returned empty handed. Dante considered this a personal insult to him, how dare those fools stay out so long. Nicolas had gone with the last group and they still hadn't returned with any news about the missing Squires.

"Calm yourself brother, we'll find out what happened to them sooner or later." Sylvestre said as he tried to calm down his friend, but only caused Dante to turn to and grab him and pull Sylvestre close to his face.

"Why are you so laid back, this is your punishment, and what will the queen do if you come back without the bounty that you were told you needed to bring back?" Dante snarled as he looked at Sylvestre. Sylvestre merely tried to calm his friend down as.

"We have already reached that goal my friend and brought down a Nidoking! And remember Dante that the party that Nicolas went with still isn't back yet, we just need to wait and then we can decide what to do. We said we would send out three groups to find the missing patrol, so far two of them came back, we just have to wait for the last one to return before we can do anything. And let me go before my friend does something that we both won't like" Sylvestre said as his eyes went to their right. Dante's eyes moved and saw Sylvestre's Nuzleaf holding a Leaf Blade ready to strike in defense of its trainer. Dante quietly let Sylvestre go and walked off in a huff, while Sylvestre merely watched him walk as he rubbed his Nuzleaf's head as his thoughts ran in circles. _Dante's always been hard headed, but I can guess why this is so hard on him. He was the one who set the groups up; he probably sees this as failing on his part. When will that fool learn not to carry so much weight on his shoulders?_

"Sir Sylvestre, we found something!" Nicolas voice caused him to look up and spot him running into the campsite, a bundle in his arms with the Squires he had left with following behind him. Sylvestre frowned when he heard the wording Nicolas had used.

"What did you find?!" Sylvestre demanded as the others gathered around Nicolas, frowning when he notice the look of horror that Nicholas had. His frown grew when he noticed that Nicholas was clutching something green in his hands.

"This." Nicolas said as he dropped a tabard onto the ground back first, a large hole revealed to the others.

"We found two more like this, but no sign of any bodies but the ground looked _wet_ what the hell could it mean?!" Nicolas demanded as his eyes grew hard as he looked at Sylvestre as the others started to mutter among themselves. Sylvestre brought a hand to his face and started to think. _Something killed my men, but what and how is the problem. A Chimera could have knocked them out then eaten them but where are the bodies, why are their cloths in such a state? I don't like this, not one bit._ Sylvestre looked around and when he noticed the looks on the others faces he made his choice.

"Right, everyone start packing up! Something out there killed three of our own in a way I can't even guess at, so we're leaving the area before more of us fall. We're heading back to base, I want everyone to keep an eye out for anything to kill as we move, we leave as soon as we're done breaking camp!" Sylvestre barked as he moved toward his own tent and started to put it away. He kept working when he heard two people walk towards him and he heard Dante start to speak.

"I don't like what the kid found ether Sylvestre, but to leave like this, without finding it?" Dante demanded as he and Nicolas started to help Sylvestre put his tent away. Sylvestre gave a sigh and locked eyes with Dante and gave him a level stare.

"Can you think of anything that could leave remains like what Nicolas found Dante, because I can't. If these thing is that strong, I can't guess what would happen if we fight against it. I won't risk the lives of my men on a fool's errand." Sylvestre said with a forceful tone that caused Dante to look down and cursed to himself. _The boss it right damn it! A creature that strong and able to devour the bodies so neatly that the remains are gone with no sigh on their clothing beyond a puncture wound, I can't even think what could cause it._

"So what if we run the thing that attacked the missing Squires Sir Sylvestre?" Nicholas asked as Dante looked at him and remembered the conversation the two of them had recently, where Nicholas had asked him about the Squires and frowned.

"I'll be out in front, if we find that thing I'll take its attention and let the rest of you escape. But for that to work we need a strong rearguard…." Sylvestre began before Dante interrupted him.

"The me and the kid will take the rearguard, we should keep the Carriers in the center as we travel, plus it'll give us some time to finish a discussion we were having before." Dante said as he looked at Nicholas whose eyes started to gain a look of worry to them.

A few minutes later the party had finished packing up camp and got on their golems and were soon moving, the Carriers were in the center as discussed and Sylvestre was leading the way with Dante and Nicholas in the rear, the Squires all had a bow and quiver on their backs ready to use if they spotted any prey. An hour after they had started to move and had added a few birds and Flying types to the bounty they were bringing back Dante moved his Charger closer to Nicholas, signaling him to slow down. _Well, time to find out if I'll live as myself I guess._ Nicholas thought as he slowed his Charger. When the Squires were far enough ahead the talk Nicholas had been dreading began

"What do you know about the Squires that made you ask me about them?" Dante said quietly and bluntly. Nicholas looked at Dante before he started to speak.

"How good are you at Sensing, really?" Nicholas asked as Dante looked at him. Dante looked forward at the Squires on their golems and before he said anything had a look of confusion on his face before he started to look concerned.

"I'm terrible at it come to think of it. In fact I don't know anyone in the team who is good at it. Why, what is it?" Dante asked as he looked at the party.

"They **all** feel as if their brothers. And by all I mean every single Squire I've moved past sense I joined up." Nicholas said as he faced forward, not looking at Dante as they traveled.

"Every single one of them?" Dante asked with a frowned as he looked at the Squires, noticing two of them were talking and one had told a joke that caused his fellow to laugh. _How the hell is that even possible, I can't even think beyond…._ Dante's thoughts stopped as a sudden spike of pain caused him to lean his head against his Charger's head, grabbing his head as he moves, his Charger slowing to a stop.

"DANTE! Are you okay?!" Nicholas's voice caused Dante to look up and notice the kid had stopped his charger and was looking at him in concern as Dante fought through the pain and grabbed a few memories in his head.

"IS EVERYTHING OKAY BACK THERE YOU TWO?" Sylvestre's voice echoed from the front of the pack, causing Dante and Nicholas to look at the others had slowed down and Slyverstre was looking towards them from the front of the group. Nicholas turned and stopped when Dante raised his hand toward him. Dante took a deep breath and yelled

"WE'RE FINE SLYVERSTRE, I JUST TOLD THE KID A JOKE THAT SHOCKED HIM!" Dante called back and within a few minutes they were moving again. Dante turned to Nicholas and gave him a stern look.

"Don't tell the boss about that episode, I'll tell him about it later. If that was what I thought it was then I need to talk to a friend back at base." Dante said as he moved his Charger forward, leaving Nicholas behind him. Nicholas looked after Dante with a frown on his face and soon his thoughts came to his own fears. _That looks like what happened to me when I realized I didn't remember why and how I joined the Team. Who was that woman I see in my dreams, how do I know her, where did I grow up?_ Nicholas just sighed and moved his golem forward, falling back into line behind his comrades.

A few hours later as they neared the area where their home was Sylvestre started to look around and grew concerned. An hour ago Dante had come forward to talk to him after they had taken down an eagle that was carrying a rabbit.

"Shouldn't the sentries have stopped us before we reached this point Dante?" Sylvestre asked as he looked around. Dante looked and noticed a few places he had stood guard since their Queen had brought them to their base, and frowned as he noticed a few signs that people had left in a hurry and that something had attacked them. Sylvestre stared ahead and stopped when and explosion sounded ahead of them. He shot a glare at Dante and was relieved when Dante sent a nod at him and drew one of his sickles.

"We're going. Nicholas! Stay here and protect the others! Dante, get ready, WE CHARGE!" Sylvestre roared as he and Dante increased the speed of their Chargers, both of them worried beyond all reason that something could have happened to their fellows. As soon as they passed over the last hill they saw a scene of horror that stopped them in their tracks. A flood of wooden humanoid and beasts were charging at a line of Team Gaia Knights, their Pokemon and Golems at the bottom of the mountain, elemental blasts and weapons met wooden claws and green blobs flying through the air and splattering.

"What are we seeing?" Sylvestre wondered softly as he and his friend looked upon the battle. Dante said nothing as they watched, leaving Sylvestre to try and figure out what was happening, looking at it as he thought. _Okay, they have a line so they had warnings so there's that. But the sheer size of the things they're fighting makes me wonder how they learned about them in the first places. And are they forcing us back, how can they…._ Sylvestre thoughts died as he looked at the battle and suddenly realized just what he was seeing.

"Those things attacking, their following _orders_ from something." His words caused Dante to look at him before noticing the same thing Sylvestre had, whenever the defenders had pushed back the attackers more came at them, but unlike normal Chimera these things came at the defenders in groups, the things were trying to pierce through line by over whelming their opponents, but so far the defenders were making the things pay for every step they took.

Dante noticed that most of the things seemed to be coming from one section of the forest and made a decision and grabbed two of his Pokéball. _I can move faster on my own, the boss can do the most good on the battle line._

"Sylvestre, go. Me and my team will work our way over there and see if we can take out their commander, I'll send up a flare when I find it. Go help the others hold the line and if we're wrong about this I'll fight my way back to the lines and we'll go from there." Dante said as he released a Haunter and a Bug type with a yellow head with two crests on its side, veined wings with triangular, red tipping and two gray insectoid arms extending from its chest ending in small, yellow claws.

Jacquelin blocked a blow from one of the tree things stone like claws{[Treeslasher]} with his shield and cursed in his head as he fought. It had been perfect, he had brought the remains of what he had fought and even Mathis had said an expedition to discover if more were in the area was a good idea, and no sooner had that decision been made then they discovered a flood of them marching towards the mountain! Thankfully they had been able to create a defensive line and but they were slowly being pushed back, for some reason they were using tactics of all things! He looked up and saw more of the Treeslashers and copies of the thing he had faced before with the vines for a left arm{[Treegrabber]} and clenched his hands, ready to weather the attacks when he was saved.

"Bullet Seed, give them some space!" At the called command he looked up and for the first time ever was happy to see Sylvestre. He was riding his Charger with his Nuzleaf standing behind him, firing its attack at the creatures as his golem charged at the place Jacquelin was defending. Jacquelin just panted as the yellow seeds struck down the Woodmen.

"Enjoy the hunt?" Jacquelin asked as he started to catch his breath, the Bullet Seed having brought him a few seconds to gather his strength.

"It was bad, but what's this then?" Sylvestre asked as he prepared to meet the enemies charge.

"I found some of these things a while on a hunt of my own; I was organizing a patrol expedition when the lookouts saw the horde coming at us. We've been trying to hold them back for the last few hours with limited success, we started a few feet from the woods. But these things, their obeying commands from something." Jacquelin said as he looked at the enemy.

"Dante thinks he saw where their getting commands from, he's gone to deal with it, and we just need to hold on as long as we can." Sylvestre was able to say before the horde was upon them and battle gave them no time to talk.

Dante slipped through the trees, having left his Charger behind him as he led his two Pokémon towards when he had thought the enemy was getting their directions from. He would either find their leader or discover just how many of them there were, but he would find out. He slowed as he reached a clearing and looked out and saw a wooden centaur with three eyes on its head, four long arms with the lower two ending in claws, the top right one ended in an open log and the other ended in grasping leafy vines {[Treelord]} stood looking out at the battle, two Treeslashers stood next to it while behind it a group of Treegrabbers and Treeslashers stood before the Treelord gestured with one of its arms towards one part of the battle and the group thundered towards the battle. Dante looked around and nodded when he didn't see any other groups and turned towards his Pokémon and shot a few signs at his Pokémon and when they nodded back at him he drew his weapons, nodded at his Pokémon and charge forward with a yell, the creatures only turning towards him calmly. Dante ran at his foes, his sickles out when blue fireballs flew past him and hit the Treeslasher on the right while his Ninjask flew by him outlined in a white glow and slammed into the Treeslasher on the left. The Treelord shot a glob of purple at Dante but he jumped over it and his blades started to glow pink as he slashed downward at the Treelord, slicing the trunk arm away from its body.

He spared a glance at the battles his two Pokémon were having and noticed Ninjask flying around its opponent while it firing a black ball at its opponent while his Haunter grappled with its foe, its hands clenched with the Treeslasher's claws. As he switched his vision back to his own opponent he realized what he needed to order.

"Haunter, take its head! Ninjask, stay above and fire down at it! Whoever wins first helps the other then signal the others then gang up with me!" Dante called as the Treelord charged at him and he started to dodge the claw strikes, vines and globs of purple shot at him. Haunter's hands started to glow black and with a savage cry its hands crunched the Treeslasher's claws and tore its hands away from its body. When the Treeslasher raised its torn arms, a river of green liquid dropping from the wounds Haunter opened its mouth and shot black and purple circles that punched through the Treeslasher's body and it crashed to the forest floor, not moving.

Ninjask meanwhile had flown upwards and started to generate a yellow-orange ball in front of its face and a yellow-orange beam shot downwards at the Treeslasher that tried to dodge it but a blue fireball hit its back, sending it forward and the beam went through the Treeslasher's right arm, tarring the arm off at the shoulder. As Haunter moved to back up Ninjask Dante dodged a vine from the Treelord that tried to pull him into the range of its claws. Dante slashed at the vine and cut off a length of it, green liquid pouring from the cut vine. _We can do this; all we have to do is take this thing out before reinforcements come. If we can keep the pressure on this thing, then we can weather this storm._ Dante thought as he blocked a claw strike and dove backwards and sent a pink energy slash at the Treelord's vine arm, cutting it off at the shoulder.

The final Treeslasher tried to charge at Dante but blue fireballs from Ninjask sent it to its knees before a glowing black claw from Haunter broke through its body, a small glowing gem in the center of Haunter's hand that stopped glowing before the body started to fall apart. Haunter stared in shock before it turned its hand and saw the stone in its palm and stared at it before it closed its hand and brought it close to its body protectively, it felt that its trainer would want to see what it had recovered and turned to Ninjask and nodded, it would have to send the signal now.

Sylvestre passed by his final foe and turned and pierced its body, killing the Treeslasher in one trust. When the reinforcements had hit the line where he was he had realized that his and Dante's observations was right, something was sending more forces at the parts of the wall that had beaten back the attacks. _Dante I really hope that you found something, I want this to be_ _ **something**_ _smart not a lot of them smart._ Sylvestre thought as he and his Nuzleaf looked for creatures to fight. A ball of light rising from the forests caused them to look and realize that Dante and his team had found what they were looking for and had called sent a signal for some reason.

"THERE! Our enemy is there!" Jacquelin called out as he ran towards the light, his Shiftry and Grandsword following, causing Sylvestre to just shake his head as he watched a few people he knew were some of Sylvestre's followers run after him, he always was someone who tried to do the politically correct thing to advance his position. He felt his Nuzleaf grab his leg and looked at it, turning his head when he saw it pointing back from where he had come from, turning his head he saw Nicholas leading the squires from the hunt on a charge down the hill. Sylvestre watched as they hit the remaining creatures like a tidal wave and sent a small smile to his Pokémon.

"They must have noticed the flare and decided to come and help out…Well, they have the cleanup under control and we can't let that idiot save Dante on his own so let's go partner!" Sylvestre said as he ran forward after Jacquelin, his Nuzleaf by his side.

Dante dodged backwards as the Treelord tried to hit it with blasts from its trunk arm as it dodged blue fireballs and black and purple circles. Since his Ninjask had sent that flare into the sky the Treelord had started fighting more savagely and he was worried that… a crash behind him caused him to curse and dodge to the left so he could see what had made the sound and yes, more Treeslashers and Treegrabbers were coming at him.

"CHARGE KNIGHTS! TAKE THEM!" Jacquelin voice was all the warning Dante had before Jacquelin led a charge of Knights into the clearing, most of them running at the reinforcements while Jacquelin and his Grandsword charged at the Treelord, prompting the Treelord to fire a point blank blast at the Grandsword that hit its head, melting it and sending it crashing to the ground. Jacquelin merely looked at his downed golem as his Shiftry started firing Focus Blasts at the Treelord.

"I just got that fixed!" Jacquelin snarled as Sylvestre and Nuzleaf entered the clearing and started to move around the Treelord toward where Dante. Jacquelin charged with a yell and sliced at the open log and cut through it.

"Has this thing reacted to anything you've done Dante?" Sylvestre asked as he looked at the creature Jacquelin and his Pokemon were attacking.

"Barely a sound and barely reacted when I charged it, I don't like this boss. Eh, what's the matter Haunter?" Dante asked as his Pokémon gathered around them and Haunter moved its closed hand in front of its trainer's face. Haunter opened it to reveal the gem it had taken from the Treeslasher and Sylvestre went white when he saw it.

"What the… Did you get that from the thing you were fighting?" Dante demanded as he looked at the gem. Sylvestre looked at the Treelord and his rapier started to glow pink as he tried to find an opening to end this. As Jacquelin sliced at one of the Treelord's claws Sylvestre shot forward a pink comet formed around him and he shot through the Treelord's body and he had just stoped moving, a gem embedded on his rapier's blade when the body of the Treelord started to disintegrate. Jacquelin looked from the body to Sylvestre blade and nodded at him when they locked eyes, they would talk about it later, before he turned and ran towards the others fighting the creatures, Dante and Sylvestre with their Pokemon flowing behind.

A woman in a long sleeved black shirt under a yellow tunic dress that is edged with green, blue tights and purple ankle boots lowered their spyglass and gave a short sigh as she put away her telescope. The battle had been going badly before something had changed, and while it had been dangerous to follow the signs she had seen of their passage, by tracking the horde she had found the base of Team Gaea, something that a lot of people would want to know the location of, and she couldn't say it was bad that they had fought off their attackers but the person who had come at the end at the head of that party…. A powerful looking wingless, three-headed avian Pokémon cooed at the woman when it sensed its trainer's distress, who then just sighed and scratched one of its heads as she thought about what she had just seen.

"So those things I was hunting led us to a base for Team Gaia, and they are a lot stronger then most people would think. But why was Nick there, he disappeared months ago looking for something to help heal his father, did they brainwash him? Still this is something that we needed to know." The figure mused to herself, suddenly going still when she heard a branch breaking. She turned and saw a wooden form walking towards them, this one looked like it had a cannon where its right arm would be and a clawed left hand{[Treeblaster]}. In its left claw was a knocked out child in a green smock, the sight of which caused the trainer to start to glare at the creature, and then suddenly she jolted backwards with a look of shock

"Dodrio, use Drill Peck on the trunk arm!" Dodrio ran at the Treeblaster as its becks stared to spin, dodge blobs of purple that the Treeblaster shot at it and when its becks hit the Treeblaster's trunk arm at the shoulder and cut it away from its body. The Treeblaster dropped the child it was holding and tried to claw at the Dodrio but the Pokémon dodged, ran around the creature and grabbed the girl and carried her a few feet away from the creature before Dodrio deposited the child gently before its trainer and stood definitely in front of the humans. The creature started to move towards them when the trainer gave her next command.

"Finish it with Tri Attack!" She cried. Her Dodrio heard the command and opened its becks in a triangle formation and a red energy triangle formed that Dodrio shot at the Treeblaster, the attack destroying the upper portion of its body, the remain falling to the ground, a green liquid flowing out of the remains.

The woman walked towards the dropped child and started to gently wake her up, noticing a bump on her skull as she did so. She positioned the child so she wouldn't see the battles results; she could be spared that much at least. Within a few moments, the child started to wake and open her eyes.

"What…Miss Leaf, where am I? I was gathering barriers for mom when something hit my head, did someone carry me to you?" The child asked as she rubbed her eyes. Leaf smiled at the girl and gestured for her Dodrio to bend its knees.

"Come on kid, I'll give you a ride back to your home. I think I should talk to your guardians about how you got hurt." Leaf said as she helped the child on to Leaf's Pokémon and got on behind her, Dodrio then swiftly carried the two on its back away from the clearing and away from Team Gaia's mountain base.

Brock looked around the area they had chosen to place their camp. It had access to fresh water from a spring, it had a way down the mountain and the clearing was large enough for Steelix to lie down and strike at anything that came at them so why was he so worried. He turned and noticed Yuji glaring at Agalia and her brother as they were setting up their tent. _That's why I feel something's wrong._ Brock frowned as he looked at Yuji. The sheer suspicion that Yuji had was going to be a problem if a Chimera like they recovered from the cabin attacked the group, they needed to trust the others to have their back. Brock nodded when he saw that the camp was set up and looked around, he knew what he had to do now.

"Okay everyone, gather up!" Brock called out as he drew forth a Pokéball and released his Steelix as the others gathered around him.

"With Salma gone back to Viridian we're down a body so our plans have changed, not counting the stampede we saw earlier. Kunz, Yuji, I want the two of you to do a short patrol not too far out, and bring back or record anything that you think might be evidence about what is happening up here. Agalia, you're stay here and help me defend this place if anything attacks us." Brock said as the others. Yuji just snorted as he crossed his arms and looked at Kunz.

"What are supposed to be looking for anyway? More webbing, a corpse or evidence of battles?" Agalia asked sarcastically as she locked eyes with Brock.

"What we already found will prove something is happening here, we need to find definite proof about the threat or at the very least we need to find evidence that something is wrong here, something that the League will believe." Brock said as he looked at them. Agalia just looked at the others before she sighed.

"I know you said this before but I can't believe the League is that hard to react, what we've seen so far has to be proof that something is happening up her."

"Then you've never met Pecker before." Yuji muttered as he put his hand on Kunz shoulder and pushed towards away from camp.

"Come on partner, the sooner we do this, the sooner we can get something to eat. And after last night meal I so want some more of Brock's cooking." Yuji said as he walked past Kunz and moved out onto the mountain. Kunz started to walk off when he felt his sister's eyes on his back and looked a little sheepish when he looked back at her.

"Well, it was very good." He said as he walked after Yuji, leaving Agalia to simmer as Brock blushed as his Steelix grinned and chuckled. None of them noticed a black shadow moved silently after the two leaving the group, a silent protector following after the person he thought was in the most danger.

A few minutes later they were out of sight of the camp and Yuji started to look around the area, trying to find anything that would give him a single clue about what was happening up here. As the two of them walked around the area, Kunz looked about blankly while Yuji started to notice a few things that really worried him. _Okay, so there's no sound of anything living around here like after we ran into that pack. And the trees, most of them have leaves that are losing color, and it looks like it started from the stem. I so need to talk to Brock about this, maybe he's seen something like this on his journey._ Yuji thought as he used his PokéGear to record a few pictures of the trees.

"Found something?" Kunz flat voice caused Yuji to jump slightly at the fact that Kunz had moved so silently. Yuji looked at Kunz for a few seconds before he gestured around him.

"What is wrong with this place?" Yuji asked as he looked at Kunz, who looked around then looked at Yuji with a blank look, causing him slap his face.

"Oh for the love of….Listen, there aren't any animal, birds of Pokémon around here! And the trees, their sick or something! Look around I mean!" Yuji said as he turned away from Kunz and walked towards a tree, never noticing that Kunz's eyes had lost their blank look and had a look of rage in them. _Not good, this brat is noticing the Chimera's affects. And it noticed that something drained the Aura of the trees. If that brat figures out about Aura then I'll have to say that a Chimera jumped him._ Kunz slowly moved his right arm towards his axe as he looked at Yuji. He stopped when he saw Yuji push back a bush and look behind it before he stood and gestured for Kunz to follow him. Kunz blanked his eyes and walked next to Yuji and looked at what Yuji had found and saw a white web line lead away from the tree and out into the woods.

"We should head back soon; I want to find where this is going." Yuji said as he walked into the woods. Kunz merely looked at where Yuji had walked off, before he followed after him, not even registering that someone had seen him reach for his axe, and had drawn a knife. Shadow jumped down into the clearing after Kunz had left and put away his throwing knife and put a hand on one of the trees.

 _I was right to follow those two, that kid found something that almost made the other try to kill him. But what was that about the trees that caused that reaction…Wait this tree, its Aura was drained by something, no it's still being drained._ Shadow looked around the tree and found the white web line that lead into the forest. Shadow looked after the two people he was following and moved into the trees, continuing to follow after both a possible enemy and a possible friend who was walking beside his possible murderer.

Rosette caught her breath as she watch her traveling complains as they rest. Since they had saved her they had given first aid to both herself and Aracanine and she had been traveling with them as the climbed the mountain, they had final stopped to feed both themselves and their Pokémon and she smirked a bit as she watched Cameron interact with his Lucario as the two grappled with each other over a bag of snacks as their other Pokémon either called out encouragements or told them to stop as Riley laughed, those two didn't fit the tales of Aura Guardians. She still couldn't believe it, actual _Aura Guardians._ According to legends the Aura Guardians were heroes who saved people, warriors who were able to use Pokémon attacks and healers who save those near death, legendary figures who were said to have beaten the worst threats to life and who legends said had died to the last killing a terrible Chimera. But if they had died so long ago then from where and whom had Riley learned their arts, and how he had described them, _the last,_ that raised all kinds of flags in her mind. And then there were the looks he had been sending her since she had told them she was a member of the Kanto League's Defense Forces. That had raised so many alarms that she was starting to get worried.

"Okay, we've rested enough! We still have to find out at least the general areas of where those things are coming form, if we can learn that we can try to take care of them." Rosette just stared at the two, shocked at the words they were saying. She and the people at the cabin had been members of the Defense Forces and all she could do was runaway when the Chimera had attacked them. Sure the two and their teams had handled the Chimera, but they had surprised them and kept them off balance, but did they really think they could handle the Chimera on their own?

"Are you serious?! You think you will be able to handle those things on your own?!" Rosette exclaimed as she looked at the people and Pokémon before her. Cameron looked at her and tapped a bag he was holding.

"Lady, our predecessors were able to seal them away, and with some more modern knowledge we'll kill them this time. All we gotta do is drop a few bombs down a hole and their den is done. Of course we have to find them first, which is the hard part of this whole thing." Cameron started to say only to stop when Rosette started to stare at him in shock and a bit of anger before she exploded.

"'Seal'?! Then the Aura Guardians dealt with these things before and just put them to sleep?! But wait, wouldn't you know where they were if your group sealed them away in the first place?" Rosette trailed off as she saw the looks Riley and Cameron were trading with each other. _I can't risk it, I have to ask him before we move on, I need some solid answers that I can trust these two._

"Listen, you called your selves the last Aura Guardians, I'm guessing the answer to my questions have something to do with that?" Rosette asked as she looked at Riley. Riley meet her eyes and after few seconds turned to his student with a hard look.

"Cameron, go scout ahead a bit with Lucario, if you see anyone or anything come back, you got it, and I don't want any backtalk." Riley said with his hand raised, stopping Cameron from saying anything.

"Yes master, I'll make sure the way is clear." Cameron said, shooting a look at Riley before he nodded and dashed ahead, his Lucario just behind him as they moved out of sight. Riley just sighed and turned back to their new traveling companion and looked at her with a hard stare.

"I don't want Cameron to hear this again; the kid had nightmares for a while when I told him about it and was as nervous as a Fighting type around Psychic types for weeks whenever we went for supplies, cause it really isn't a good tale." Riley said, causing Rosette to start to frown as she thought about what he had just said.

"A battle where most of the other Guardians died wouldn't cause a case of nerves but might cause nightmares, so then were the Guardians betrayed? And what part did the League play I noticed your reaction when I mention my employers so don't try to underplay it." Rosette said with her arms crossed when Riley jolted in place at her words. Riley just looked at her and chuckled as he shook his head.

"Yeah it does but it's a long story so please bear with me for a bit. A long time ago, before the Defense Treaty was even thought up a powerful Chimera and its hordes threatened all of Kanto, I think it could be called the Zero Siege. Anyway according to the records the battles lasted for years, until one village a Guardian's family was in was destroyed, there were zero survivors." Riley said as Rosette closed her eyes and winced.

"I'm guessing he went over the deep end as some would say." Rosette said causing Riley to snort.

"And how! See, back then the ability to use Aura was more common, at lot of people could do it, the Aura Guardians were just the first people to record it and he was one of our archivists. He blamed the pace of the war and he gathered around him others who shared his beliefs. Now this is where it gets strange, there were a lot of 'brotherhoods' like his so most people ignored them and that was how he liked it, let him and his experiment with a few practices that after according to the book let him create something that would create a force to counter the Hivers, that what they called the Chimera that attacked you, were ever released. As for why they were sealed and not destroyed, it was a suicide technique that created the seal, the 'Leader' of them and its guards were to powerful and after the seal was in place, if it was tampered with the Chimera would either be released or the entire Kanto region would experience an earthquake that would sink half of it, at least." Riley said as Rosette started to go white with shock.

"Half of Kanto would sink into the ocean?" She whispered in horror, imagining the loss of life.

"At least, but that was the final straw for the Archivist and his people, they attacked what was supposed to be a ceremony to honor the fallen and declared that their Order would destroy the 'blights of the world'. It became a battle that after a while went into the shadows of history and about three hundred years ago the Guardians thought we had defeated them for good. In reality they went even deeper into the shadows and started to infiltrate the league. I'm the only survivor of an attack that killed the entire Brother of the Aura Guardians, and the person who led the forces against them were at that time current Champion of Kanto, and members of the Elite Four of Johto and Unova plus a few Gym Leaders from those Regions." Riley said with a hard look in his eyes. Rosette just stared at him and then she threw her hands over her mouth to keep from throwing up. _A few years ago the Champion died suddenly, they said a Chimera got in a lucky shot in on a hunt for it. Was that just a lie to advance this 'Orders' schemes?_

"How did you survive?" Rosette final was able to wasp out the one question that was blaring through her minds, prompting Riley to smile and chuckle weakly

"Would you believe because of bad book keeping? I had just joined a few months earlier and my teacher was sick that day and he had already said that he would be there and we were marked as attending. And the only way that worked was that the leader had used a suicide device that activated when all the Guardians were killed in the meeting place. Since then I never trusted that any member of the League wasn't be a member of the Order." Riley said, causing Rosette to look at him as he stared her down.

"And telling me what you before you knew who I worked for right." Rosette said as causing Riley to chuckle.

"Not as much as you would think, any member of the Order would have tried to kill us by now." Riley said dryly as he looked forward, seeing Cameron coming running towards them. Once he reached them he panted as he looked at them.

"I found a pathway up wards, it looked like it was being used heavily, Lucario sensed something coming and we hid and saw a group of them charging towards something, there were at least as many as the group that we beat to rescued Ms. Rosette." Cameron

"That lightning bitch must have gotten off the mountains by now; we should head for Viridain and meet up with the others!" The speaker was a tall woman with black hair said to three other women as they moved along the mountain path.

"Yeah so let's go already girl!" The woman who said this had blond hair and was speaking to a woman with red hair as the final woman, a brunet nodded. The redhead looked at the others and nodded and started to lead them towards the setting sun. They had just started to move through a forest on the mountain when a rustling in the bushes caused them to look up as a buxom woman in a torn kimono with long black hair and a look of fear on her face come running towards them.

"Help, they killed my Pokémon! They were going to rape me, their right behind me help!" The woman screamed as a rustling started farther back.

"Get behind us, girls let's get ready, Go Flareon!" The redhead said as she threw a Pokéball, the others releasing a Jolteon, a Vaporeon and a Leafeon. The woman with long hair merely smiled an evil looking smirk.

"Thank you so much, I was so worried." The woman said as the four Pokémon started to growl in the direction of the rustling.

"Don't worry; the four of us will be able to handle any kind of thugs." The blond said as she looked over into the forest. The woman behind them started to move closer the four women.

"Yes I was so worried that I wouldn't have any meat for my daughters." The woman said as she trust a hand through the back of the redhead and out clutching the redhead's heart, causing her to gurgle and go still, and the others and the Pokemon to turn backwards as a from the darkness a spider leg speared the Jolteon through its heart.

"Ambush!" The blond cried as she saw the leg as spider Chimera charged out of the woods and started to slay the three remaining Pokémon. A Chimera dropped onto her from above and soon breathed her last as the Chimera bit into her neck, severing her spine.

"Sister! No NO NO!" The black haired woman cried as she stared at the red head's corpse until a Chimera trust one of its legs into her eyes killing her and threw the Leafeon that jumped at it with one of its legs. The Leafeon flew through the air and crashed to the ground and had two fangs driven into its brain before it could do more then try to stand up.

The long haired woman looked up and saw the final trainer running into the woods with the Flareon and formed black spider legs from her back to run after her when the brunet's corpse flew through the air with a hole where her heart had been. As the spider Chimera gathered around the woman as black chitin formed clawed gauntlets on her hands they looked towards where the corpse had flown from.

"Well this is a genuine surprise, after all this time I never thought that you were still alive, much less still in Kanto." A deep voice called from the darkness. The woman looked around and started to gain a glare on her face as she tried to find the source of it.

"Whose there, who do you think I am?" She demanded as she looked around as she brought the spider legs on her back up and moved her head. She suddenly lunged for a part of the woods to her left and trusted her spider legs at a point when the figure she was striking at jumped upward and formed bat wings made of energy that carried it to a branch in view of the everything in the clearing and breathed a stream of fire into the air above it, shocking the woman who looked at the figure and stared in shock as she realized just what she was facing. The figure looked to be a human male in a dark clock with spikey white hair and solid black eyes and pupils, in its hands was the Flareon with its head twisted backwards.

"You're like me, you one of the Ascended." She breathed in shock. _He knows me, how where did we meet? A powerful Ascended could kill me and my girls and it has those wings so it could fly and strike when he wants to._

"Indeed I am, I would wonder how long you've lived around here, when last we had crossed paths it was in the forests to the west near the Tower of Ghosts when we were in that horde so many years ago." At his words she went still and her eyes went hard as her spider legs started to glow green.

"There are only five beings that I am sure survived of that time. Three of them had wings like yours, but there was only one of them that I liked, so please tell me who you are before I decide to kill you here and now." She purred as the spider Chimera started to back away from her as she started to glow a mix of purple and black. He looked at her and chuckled as he threw the Flareon corpse into the center of the clearing.

"Even back then you had such a way with your communication. How about that I saved your life when the horde was ambushed when it was supposed to attack the city that fought us off?" He said as he dropped to the ground as raised his right hand and had two points of scar tissue on it.

"You survived! And Ascended! What are you calling yourself?" She asked as she rushed and gave him a hug. He returned it with a chuckle as the Spider Chimera watched in confusion.

"Nice to see you too old friend. So I'm guessing your helping your spawn evolve, and you just need the human element for that. As for my name the humans in the land I ascended in called me Dreadwing and I decided to keep it." Dreadwing said with a grin as the other Chimera in the clearing looked at their mother who gave a laugh

"Good name! And I've been thinking of myself as the Lady of Poison Webs, the Great Dokugumo! But where were you, after the battle and my ascension I tried to find you but only found legends that spoke of you." Dokugumo said with spin that she ended with a bow.

"'Poison Spider', so after the horde broke up you hunted around the city of the Poison gym then, they are one of the only people on the continent that speak the ancient tongue. As for myself after the battle I was _blown_ out to sea and gain the abilities of an ocean dweller and moved and feed until I reached a new land." Dreadwing said as Dokugumo looked at him with a smirk on her face.

"Yes I had such a fine nest in a place where so many different Pokémon lived, unfortunately the humans found out about me, thankful I was able to escape, went by the location our former leader had his den and slipped by the city nearby and found a good den. It had a protection on it that kept most humans from seeing it, those who did come in usually had some such good _food_ with them, some of my girls even ascended and gone out on their own or left to seek their fortunes on their own power, and these are just my newest brood." Dokugumo said as she motioned to the spider like Chimera. Dreadwing turned and looked at them, noticing the differences between them. One had a flower on her back from which two vines that went from under the flower's buds and were waving in the air as it chittered at her sister, one that was red and bulky, another that was purple and seemed to be moving with grace and the final one blue and was smaller than the others but she _glowed_ to his senses. He turned to Dokugumo and smiled at his friend.

"I can tell just what these girls need is the just a bit of aura for their next stage, right?" He said as he looked at Dokugumo who nodded and gestured to the others to decide who ate what amongst themselves. As the spider Chimera started to look over the bounty before them as Dokugumo watched with pride before Dreadwing gestured for her join her him away from the _girls_ hearing. Once she joined him he gave her a stern look.

"Listen, once their doing ascending to their next stage I would move on from this area if I was you, there's something awakening around here, a breed of Chimera that are as mindless as the worst of the ones we fought with back then. At least I'm hoping their just mindless." He muttered

"You hope, wait why do you hope?" Dokugumo asked as she started feel uneasy as she looked at what her daughters were doing. They had chosen what they would eat and were deciding on the order they would eat individually.

"They were _stupid_. They just used wave tactics and didn't react but throwing themselves when trainers got between them and their target, a lone girl riding a fire wolf. A pack of at least twenty of them gave their lives on the hunt for one human and one Pokémon, it was just so stupid." Dreadwing said as he turned towards the darkness, his eyes looking towards the darkness, trying to spot anything that might. Dukogumo merely looked at him before she turned and followed his gaze into the darkness of the forest; the forest hat seemed more evil and savage then before. _Maybe it's time to go farther west; we could slip into a village, find a place…wait, why is Dreadwing here, why did he come back?_

"Why were you even around to see them, what brought you back to this land?" Dokugumo questioned as she turned to Dreadwing who only smirked and walked into the darkness.

"Look after yourself old friend, you and your girls. I would hate to learn you fell to things like them." With those words Dokugumo was left alone, shivering as she held herself and started to make plans to protect her daughters. She looked at her girls and clapped her hands, they needed to advanced to their next stage, then they would leave, purhapes what the humans called Johto would be a good place to hunt for a while.

Ryouta and his wife Sayeko finished washing up and securing their garments before looking at each other and the door. Ryouta was sure the worry his wife had in her eyes was reflected in his but he tried to put on a brave face and tried to reassure her to their student's chances.

"We can't let ourselves worry too much about Brock right now Sayeko, we have to stay focused on this. And he's a former Gym Leader with a full team and a party of four other trainers to back him up, I'm sure he'll be back before the hurricane hits the region." Ryouta said with a confident tone.

"But still, he's out there, and the member who came back was ambushed on Route 22, Route 22!" Sayeko said as she looked at her husband.

"We're not trainers strong enough to make a difference out there. This place is how we can fight this time, find out everything they can tell us and find a way to kill them safer." Ryouta said confidently as he walked towards the operating theater's doors and walked through them.

"What did I do right to find you? Just what did I do right?" Sayeko said softly to herself as she walked after her husband, a small smile on her face behind her mask.

Giovanni and Miranda walked into the observation room over the operating room, Miranda clutching a clipboard and wearing a square pendent around her neck. Giovanni noticed Officer Jenny was standing by the windows, a frown and a dark look on her face that told him all he needed to know. He walked over to her when she didn't react to their presence he coughed, causing her to look up and when she saw the two of them she looked away with a shamed look on her face. Giovanni stared for a few seconds before he started to look murderous as he realized where the shame had come from.

"I'm guessing that the Mayor decided not to ask for help from the other cities." Miranda said as soon as she saw the look of shame on Jenny's face. Giovanni meanwhile was doing everything he could to keep his temper under control, all the while cursing in his head the person who had to be responsible for this.

"I was barely able to get him to send a message out to the homesteaders about the _possibility_ of roaming Chimera and to _think_ about calling up the Militia before that _idiot_ butted in and started talking about the damages a panic would cause to the citizens and the _tourist industry_. Before I could say much more he had a vote and the council voted to adopt a small defensive stance and keep the curfew in affect for all Pokémon." Jenny said only for her words to be the trigger to let Giovanni let go.

"Off course _he_ would say that! Sometimes I wonder just who and how representatives are selected if he's one of them. It's a perfect strategy, the Chimera take out the Pokémon and then they go in and _harvest_ anything they can. The wind currents carry the outbreak to the city then they strike, its textbook! Why can't they wake up and see that!" Giovanni cursed as he heard the door open behind them and knew just who it was without turning.

"Now, now. I'm willing to admit that it was possible for a pack of Chimera to have attacked your trainer on Route 22, but for it to have any connection to that terrible outbreak affecting our city's Pokémon, really Giovanni it's just not possible for a Chimera to plan something that complicated." The speaker was a chubby man with grey hair in a modest looking suit that walked into the room with a blissful look on his face.

"We fought off at least five of those things! Are you going to let a threat like that multiply until we fall?!" Jenny demanded, he had been there when Salma had told of the ambush, how could he be so stupid!

"And here you are, whatever those things were their not that big a threat if you survived them without injury. I'm sure that when the doctor sees that the DNA profile of that abomination doesn't match. The league will of course deal with the Chimera once Hunters are available beyond the current _issues_ that need their services." He said with a smile on his face.

"And if the DNA matches, what will the League do then, _Pecker_?" Giovanni asked as he locked eyes with the obvious official.

"Then the League will take action and please, I've told you before, call me Al." Albert Peck said with a smile. Giovanni stared at Albert Peck, this man had been a constant pain to deal with A sigh from Jenny caused them to look down and see Professor Oak appear on the monitor on the wall, he would be observing the dissection and offering what help he could from his lab.

Ryouta and Sayeko walked into the room, Sayeko activating the devices as Ryouta began to document the procedure. As Sayeko turned on the view screen and sent the signal to Oak Labs she looked around the room, after the Siege the hospital had set this place up as a backup theater and to deal with Chimera dissection, this would be the first time it was used for what it had been created for and she wasn't sure how she felt about that.

"This is Doctor Ryouta Panacelon, recording a dissection on a Bug Type Chimera recovered on one of the Mountains along Victory Road. Nurse Sayeko Panacelon is assisting with Professor Samuel Oak observing from his Laboratory in Pallet Town. Before I begin, I have taken a DNA sample from the specimen am currently having it compared to the DNA of a spore that has infected a majority of the Pokémon in Viridian City." Ryouta began as he slowly walked around the specimen on the operating table.

"First observations; the subject has a hard outer shell of chitin, black in color that covers the whole body. The body is normal when one considers both regular insects and Pokémon with one deviation, two grasping limbs with five fingers on the front portion of the body. The body has wounds that seem to be from gunshots, one of its eyes had been destroyed, I would estimate that that was what killed this specimen. A bit mark is along the back of the body just before what appear to be wing coverings. Coverings appear to be an armor featured as inspection revealed that there is no way for them to open on their own, as of right now I am put that off to the end, and will be using the remote operating devices in Theater 5." Ryouta commented as he stopped with the corpse between him and the view screen to allow Professor Oak to observe unhindered

"The limitations the operating is under Dr. Panacelon?" Professor Oak asked as he watched from his lab.

"None at all. Once the examination is finished and the gene test is done, I will personally be throwing this specimen into the inclinator off site at a class 1 bio hazard disposal facility." Ryouta said flatly as he locked eyes with the Professor.

"Then I would suggest that you begin by removing the head from the body, start there and work your way down. After all if you're thinking about the facility I believe you are that would work out far easier for you. And remember to use face shields, you must have proper sanitation methods in this kind of thing." Professor Oak said calmly.

"Yes I believe that would be logical, the saw and shields please Sayeko." Ryouta said as he reached a hand which accepted the offered face shield and after putting it on was handed the saw and in a few minutes the head was removed from the body and moved to a smaller table and sat up right on it. Looking at it for a few seconds he saw the where the brain was and started to cut around the head until he gone in a circle.

"Now let's start with the hole that the shooter left us with shall we? Hole on opposite end, given what I can see through it a simple cut here should let us see the brain and here it is." Ryouta said as he pulled off the top of the cut and looked down before he shared a look with Sayeko.

"Sayeko, would you mind getting the mobile camera I believe Professor Oak needs a better picture of this." Ryouta said Sayeko got a small camera from the wall and angled it so that it had a view of the exposed brain.

"What is it? Oh my, that brain, am I receiving this right Ryouta my boy?" Oak's voice sounded shocked.

"Yes it its. Examination of the brain has revealed an abnormality; the hemispheres of the brain are…the only word I can use is malformed, with the right side much healthier then then the left side." Ryouta said as he examined the revealed brain. The right side of the revealed was healthy and pink but looked malnourished and there were dark pink spots here and there. The left side looked normal, with no markings or spots but was paler then the left side. Ryouta removed the brain and turned it over in his hands and continued his observations.

"Abnormality of the brain is constant on the top and bottom, beside the spots observed so far there are no other marks of discoloration on the brain. The both side look malnourished, has this specimen not been eating the right amount of food, or has it come out of a long hibernation?" Ryouta said as looked over the organ in his hands.

"I remember the cleanup of the Siege, some of the Chimera's that died with their maker had brains like this, but those were so much worse. The markings on the brain remind of me of them, I think it keeps the creature from have any kind of independent will of its own, this thing is a dedicated servant or… _slave_ , yes I would even use that word to describe them." Professor Oak said as he rubbed his chin.

"But giving the healing abilities that have been recorded and their mutation potential, couldn't these structures die and release its sense of self?" Sayeko asked as she looked on. Ryouto looked at his wife and exchanged a look with her; no one noticed Professor Oak went white for a few seconds before he got control of his face back.

"I think we'll have an idea about that when we're done. Besides obvious issue, the brain seems to be healthy, for a giving value of course. I have no basis for a standard of this _strain_ of Chimera so I will have to mark this as an average specimen. Sayeko, would you please open that…thank you." Ryouta said as he dropped the brain into a small box that his wife had opened. Turning towards the head and swiftly cut the head into two at the mouth. He removed the top half and put it on the table next to the bottom and started to observe the jawline. He picked up a piece of wood from a sample table and moved it across the tooth, cutting through like a knife through butter, a piece of raw meat met with similar results. He cut into the mouth and removed a section of muscles along the jawline and put them into a separate sample box.

"Two fangs along the front on the top half, no venom sacks at the roof of the mouth so I would rule out venom bites, a sack for… silk is just behind the mouth before the throat, predictable. The teeth are quite sharp, tests show their able to cut both plant and flesh, I would say its molars are able to crunch bones and a sample of the muscle along the jawline has been removed for further investigating later on before disposal, after cleaning up the remains of the head I will be moving onto the 'chest'." Ryouta said as he moved the head into varies bio waste boxes.

"So far it seems to have been nothing, just like I said didn't I Gio my boy?" Albert said a laugh in his voice. This was Miranda's first time being around the League's representative to Viridian City and she couldn't see how this idiot could have been given the job. He was so out of touch that it had to be an act, if it wasn't then how could he function.

"There were at least three separate kinds of these things that attacked my trainer when she was returning, and the webs they left might have been _stealing_ the life of the plants they were on according to my trainer. You have to wake up and realize what's going on!" Giovanni said with a scow on his face as he stared Albert down.

"The two types we fought were straight up combatants, this thing was an ambusher at best! And we only survived because we ran away when they got reinforcements! If there are Chimera on the region in the numbers that we think there might be then they constitute a threat!" Jenny snarled as she started to flex her hands. Before Albert could say anything a loud buzzing startled them, causing them to look down at Ryouta who walked over to a monitor and answered it, revealing the face of Joy who had a look of sorrow on her face.

"The tests are done Doctor. The DNA sample matches the spore at a ratio of 80%. Whatever released the spores, they're related to your specimen." Joy reported loudly for all to hear, causing those in the observation room to glare at Albert who started to sweet and look concerned.

"Well, with this new information the League will take appropriate actions to defend…." Albert trailed off as Giovanni walked to the intercom and called down to the operating room.

"Ryouta, I'll need a copy of the results of the DNA test and the data from the autopsy, I'll arrange a meeting with the Mayor and force him to ask for help." Giovanni said, turning after he saw Ryouta nod at him. He walked by Albert towards the door, Miranda and Jenny following behind him.

"Miranda, when you get the data about the DNA call the Rangers, use the data to have them send anyone they can, Jenny, I'll be sending some of the Gym's Trainers to the exit to Route 22, I would appreciate it if they had some support." Giovanni said as he left the room, leaving Albert alone, and after the doors closed he suddenly gained a look of rage on his face as he looked after where the others had gone. He reached for his phone and pressed a button, talking as soon as someone answered.

"Albert here. They have evidence on the connection between the spore and Chimera; the Leader's calling the Rangers and meeting with the Mayor. No I don't think I'll be able to talk him down, yes we're going to have to move up our plans." Albert said as he walked out the room, never noticing that a camera had been trained on him.

Professor Oak turned off the monitor with a frown, removed a data storage unit from his computer and got up and stretched. That had been interesting, and the DNA results might not be enough for the League but it was enough for him. He would tell everyone in Pallet to try and keep their Pokémon inside until after the Hurricane. He frowned as one of his scars started to burn, that comment she had made about 'unlocking their will' could that have been the result of that battle? He walked towards a door he kept locked and put in the code, unlocking the door and walked into the chamber beyond. Opening the door with the chamber he walked down a staircase and entered another code at the bottom, the room he entered was where he did his most secret research, his study on the history of Chimera. He passed many ancient looking drawings of Chimeras of all types; he passed recreations of weapons that had killed Chimeras and books that held legends from all corners of the world. He finally reached a computer at the far end of the room and sat down before it and started to pull up files on directions, focusing on brains. He frowned at the records he had. Birds, mammals and insects; there were spots on all brains from all of those specimens that were shown to have been under the command of other Chimera. This was something he had been researching for years, and he hadn't even thought that the brain spots had an effect. Quickly pressing a few keys on the keyboard he started to monologue.

"The enigma of Chimera biology has been my obsession for years now, even since I almost lost my life in that encounter so long ago. My recent consultation with the Viridian Hospital has answered some of my many questions and but it created more. Research into the question offered by one Sayeko Panacelon has raised many of those new questions, study of my records have shown similar signs in other specimens observed obeying others without question, there is no common origin, there species and age, where they were active, there is nothing that connects them. Possible connection between spore outbreak and Chimera unknown as of this time, will update as new data is gathered." Professor Oak said as his hands flew over the keyboard, looking over data he had collect over his lifetime. Professor Oak slowly went towards a pen and in a quick movement threw it and got up and looked around.

"WHO'S THERE!?" He demanded in a forceful tone. As he reached for a sword on the wall next to him a throaty laugh caused him to go still. _Wait, that voice is…_

"I still can't get anything by you, hu Sammy? Still trying to understand those things?" A voice said as an old woman in an old fashion purple dress seemed to appear from nowhere with a purple Pokémon with a gaseous body and two remote hands hugging her.

"Agatha, I was getting worried about you when Delia told me about Brock's expedition into your mountains." Professor Oak said with a smile at her as he sighed and sank into his chair.

"My mountains, what's he looking for up there?" Agatha asked as she walked towards him. With a small sigh Professor Oak opened a file and revealed a spore in a blood sample, its genetic information came up next to it. Agatha read what was on the screen as data of its effects on Pokémon was shown next, a frown starting to form as she absorb what she was reading.

"The source of this I'm afraid, it's probably a Chimera. Currently it's the source of an infection that's affecting each species of Pokémon differently" Professor Oak explained as Agatha listened and sighed and shook her head in denial.

"This is from my mountains? I can't believe something moved in there and I never noticed it, and you say it's affecting Viridian like that. Even with the problem they've been giving me for a few days, I wouldn't have missed something like that!" Agatha said, causing Professor Oak to turn to look at her. Agatha just sighed and closed her eyes.

"About a week ago I pulled a girl and her Electric type out of one of my fishing traps. I got the kid dry and was feeding her a meal when some scum who were looking for her came along. I sent her out the back and went outside to buy her some time; the poor dears out there didn't know who I was, so when they insisted that a _poor old feeble woman_ get out of their way, I decided to entertain them until the poor dears had to leave, they had stayed with me so long they were so late for their next appointment that they had to _run so fast_ , you'd think a Chimera was on their heels." Agatha said with a smirk on her face. Professor Oak just shook his head and turned to his computer, not noticing the pain in Agatha's eyes. _Sorry Sam but I still can't break that Geass keeping me from telling you about Aura users. Dam you teacher, why'd you have to do that to me?!_

"And I'm guessing that these guests you weren't the run of the mill thugs for hire?" Oak said with a small frown.

"Some more of those people who had a problem about that wild fruit we found. It seems that those people were part of something _larger_ than we thought The way they were acting as they demanded I hand over my guest, there was no way I was going to let them have her! And they were after her for a _reason_ , called her Abomination for Arceus sake." Agatha snarled as she remembers the looks of hatred those people had on their faces as they spoke of who they were hunting.

"Concerning that they were active since we meet them, more concerning they were after a person. If the current members are anything like the ones we fought together, I'm worried about what they've been doing in the shadows over the years." Professor Oak mused as he leaned back and let his mind wonder.

"Enough doom and gloom Sammy, what's been happening in the old homestead since the last time I've been home? Has that grandson of ours comeback from his trip yet?" Agatha asked as she looked at him, prompting him to laugh and stand up.

"A long story my lady, one I will start over supper, how about take in? But you will of course be my guest until the situation with the hurricane and the Chimera's are dealt with my dear?" Professor Oak said as he offered his arm to Agatha who took it with a smile.

"But of course, good sir. So, is there anything new in the village and any new specials at Pallet House?" Agatha asked as she walked with Oak out of the room, letting the pains of the past fade away for the brightness of tomorrow.

Machop ran with tears in its eyes, the bow and quiver on its back not even registering to it. Its four comrades were dead, and what's worse was that they had failed. This thought was all the Machop had as it ran through the woods as it ran from the mountain. It had been the last day of their duty shift when those three Chimera had invaded the ruin, how they had gotten in it couldn't know, but it had picked off its team. It had been briefed on the Goblins and their sire in the mountains, they weren't supposed to have been that strong, and one alone had done all that, just what did that say about their strength. There was no way around it, it had to let its queen know about this as soon as possible, and to do that it had to run through the _others_ territory to get there. The pack who claimed this part of the forest was particularly strong, with their alpha, a Sandslash that had been able to go move for move with the _Champion_ himself the few times they had meet in battle, all it could hope for was that the pack wasn't anywhere nearby and that it could slip by them. As it was running suddenly six yellow balls flew out of the bushes and unfurled into Sandshrews, the _pack_. Where was the leader, it always attack from the front! Machop started to look around for the Sandlash that lead them and was shocked when the Sandshrew right in front of it walked forwards and to its surprise bowed down before it.

"Sandshrew, shrew, shrew." Machop stared in shock, _these_ six were all that remained from their group, and they were asking to be brought before its queen to join forces for vengeance against the ones who killed their leader. Looking at the Ground types it could see the wounds on their bodies, and with the hidden hope that its punishment wouldn't be too great if it brought back new soldiers so it nodded and gestured for the Sandshrew to follow it, breaking into a run, the Sandshrew following behind it. Soon they left the forest behind and after a while came upon a ruined tower that had falling over a river.

"MACHOP!" The Machop screamed out to the world, startling the Sandshrews who turned to look at it and then turned when they sensed something. They turned and saw five Machoke materialized out of the woods wielding swords and shields and look at the six Sandshrews

"Ma choke mack?" One of the Machoke asked the Machop as it looked around for the others, only to stare at the Machop when its tears started to flow down its face.

"Machop, Machop." The Machop's words caused the others to look at it and look beyond it and the Sandshrews, growing more alert as the Machokes started to lead the others toward the falling tower. As they entered the falling structure the Sandshrew were led through a window on the floor into a slopping tunnel. After a while they came out into a large cavern that seemed to stretch for miles, a crude looking castle in the. The party moved through the cavern and reached the castle, being let in by two Machokes holding spears. As the party moved through the courtyard they were watched by the Machokes and the Machops training or standing guard as the party moved towards a door to the castles interior.

Going inside they walked towards a large door with two large suits of teal armor with oversized hands, it is only when the party gets closer that the Sandshrews realize the armor are both Pokémon. The two armor Pokémon opened the door to reveal a large throne room. The throne room had a semitransparent silk curtain at the fall end where a female figure that seemed to be wearing a flowing gown was in the shadows behind the curtain sitting on a throne. Along the walls in rows 10 strong on both sides were Machokes wielding spears and wearing armor. Before the curtain a white, bipedal Pokémon with a red horn on its chest and its arms were shaped like tonfas, a collar with a gemstone around its neck and it seemed to be dancing as it moved around the throne room, delivering devastating blows to the air with its hands and feet. The Sandshrew stared in awe at one who had fought their _leader_ to a standstill on more than one meeting, this was the _Champion_ _of the Queen_.

[ _How was my performance my Queen_?] A forceful and powerful _voice_ said as the white Pokémon stop and bowed before the figure on the throne. The figure on the throne gave off an air of grace as her hand was raised and a glowing goblet hovered over to the Champion.

[ _Impressive my Champion, your skills have grown well. You are one of the strongest among our forces. But I see that there are others who would speak with Us.]_ A feminine _voice_ said as the Pokémon that had been _dancing_ before the throne shot to its feet and turned towards the party that had entered the throne room. The group released that they had been noticed by the Lords of the castle and the Machop, Machokes and Sandshrews bowed. The Champions eyes widened slightly as it saw the Sandshrews, it recognized some of them, and then its eye narrowed when it saw the Machop and the bow on its back.

[ _You. You were add to the squad we had guarding the ruin, why are you here, where are the others?_ ] The male voice said as the Champion looked. The Machop fought back its tears and knelt before the Champion and fell forwards, its arms the only thing holding its body up.

"Machop, Mach. Chop Mac Machop Machop! Machop chop!" The Machop said as it knelt before its leaders. The Sandshrews looked at the Machop with pity and understanding in their eyes while the guards along the wall gave no hint of their thoughts. The Champion looked at the archer and then Champion turned towards the Sandshrews.

[ _While the events that our soldiers just told of are concerning, I would like to know why you six are here, and where is your leader? Have you come here to run from him for some reason?_ ] The Champion inquired as the guards along. One of the Sandshrew walked forward while the others knelled before the throne.

"Sandshrew shrew. Sand sand sandshrew." This time the Champion's eyes went wide and they moved towards the figure on the throne before they returned to the Sandshrews spokes-mon.

[ _I grieve that a worthy rival has been slain, and the fact that it happened the same time as the decimation of one of our defensive bases is worrying. But what are your thoughts on this my queen?_ ] The Champion asked the figure behind the curtain as the others around the room looked at the throne.

[ _My thoughts, my Champion?_ _That the old Ogre in the mountains spawn have suddenly become more active, that they have started to roam father then they ever did? That just one of them was able to kill one you said was a rival; that some of them found the ruin and took the fruit from the tree? I would think that this shows that his forces might soon fracture my Champion. While our war with_ _ **her**_ _is a concern if events play out the right way we might soon be able to use the mountain to handle it._ ] The feminine voice said as the figure behind the transparent curtain raised a hand. From the left side a Pokémon that looked like a bipedal pink blob with long rabbit ears and a tuff of hair between its ears walked towards the knelling group with four bipedal, pink-and-cream Pokémon with oval, blue eyes following in her wake.

[ _Wigglytuff and her staff will take you all to the healing chambers, Archer when you are recovered you shall be resigned as the leader of a new squad that has just finished training. As for the Sandshrews, they are welcomed to join our ranks. I pray that we meet and kill that which killed your former leader. The audience is over; all of you please leave me, guards included. My Champion will you attend me?_ ]The feminine voice asked as the curtain glowed blue and parted, revealing the shadowed chamber beyond. Wigglytuff bowed to the Sandshrew and the four Pokémon following her started to help the injured Pokemon out of the audience room. The guards banged their spears against the floor and marched out of the room, leaving the Queen and the Champion alone.

[ _Of course my Queen, it would be my honor._ ] The Champion said as it walked between the curtains as the others left the chamber following the pink Pokémon. As the curtains closed a glow formed along the bottoms as a seal activated, closing off all sound from leaving the room. Suddenly the items around the room started to glow blue and fly around as the feminine voice started to rage. The Champion stood still as he let her vent, and sighed as she turned to him, her eyes glowing.

[ _A SINGLE_ _ **CHIMERA**_ _KILLED ONE OF OUR SQUADRONS! WHAT'S MORE IT WAS THE GUARDS OF THE TREE! AND THAT MACHOP SAID THAT TWO OF THEM STAYED IN OUR OUTPOST AFTER EATING TWO OF THE OTHERS! WHAT IS THAT IDIOT DOING, WHY HAS IT DECIDED TO MOVE_ _ **NOW**_ _OF ALL TIMES, JUST WHEN THE_ _ **FRUIT**_ _WAS READY!?_ ] She raged as the

[ _Calm down my lady. While this is troubling I'm sure we can deal with it. This is an opportunity to gather the other packs that are independent, if the Ogre's forces start to move, some might come to us._ ]The Champion said trying to calm his Queen down. The queen's eyes started to lose their glow as she turned to look at him, a devious smile growing on her face.

[ _And we can make sure they are_ targeted _by that one's forces, can't we?_ ] She sent to her partner as she offered him her hand. He took it and gave it kissed it before he met her eyes.

[ _My thoughts exactly my Queen. Might I suggest that we move on the dual Poison pack that one of our patrols encountered recently near the humans city? The leaders seemed strong and we could make them serve you my lady_ ] The Champion said as he lead her towards a table with a pitcher and two goblets.

[ _Yessss, those two. Send an emissary, if they declaim the honor we offer them, then we shall lead one of the Chimeras towards them, let fate decide if they live._ ] The Queen said as her eyes and the pitcher glowed blue and poured the liquid into the goblets.

[ _If they are such fools then it would be their fault that they would lose their lives._ ] The Champion said as he raised a goblet to his Queen, who raised her own to their vision of the future, a future where they would rule all of Kalos.

 **Aura Skill: Sensing** : Ability to use Aura to _sense_ where others are without seeing them. High level users able to know what is there down to what they sense and if they have active Aura or are related to each other. Homunucles feel like they're all related to each other if made by same person or creature.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Here it is, sorry it's late. Sorry to say I'm going to be doing one chapter a month or whenever I finish it for a while at least as I finish fixing some Real-Life-Problems. I promise to try to get a handle on them and have more chapters done as soon as I can in the future guys. And I decided to do this so that each region took a year to compete [counting Orange Islands as part of Johto year] so the ages are as follows

Ash/Misty/Dawn/May/Serena/Clemont = 15

Max = 9[Was 6 when Ash met]

Brock/Cleo =21

Bonnie = 8 [was 4 when mother died]

The sun shined on a forest with, a ray of light seemed to shine onto a tree with a sturdy looking branch before a gray shape flashed over it before a length of the branch seemed to be cut away from the tree and fall to the forest floor. A gray four foot figure with dark grey flat sharp looking quills on its arms walked into the light, revealing the new Gazer as it picked up the branch and started to make one of the ends sharper as it walked back towards a stream where the 4 other Goblins were. Above on with its new, sharper claws Protector watched as Gazer walked to the others who were trying to grab fishes from the river but stopped when they saw Gazer stop just before the water, close its two side eyes and after a minute jabbed down with its spear and pulled it out, a trout pierced all the way through. Protector smiled as it watched its siblings crowed around Gazer and cheer before some of them dashed to the trees and started to pull down branches to use as well, Gazer had always been with Protector, and it had known its sibling was _special_ and smart. The new evolution that it had shared had pushed Gazer's confidence forward a little, making it more likely to share what it was thinking, when Gazer and asked it to cut down a branch was proof of it!

Protector dropped onto a lower branch beneath it and looked from the vintage point the branch afforded it, seeing the stream its pack was hunting around, letting it see if anything would come to attack them. It spied a few Pokémon and animals hiding back, most of them leaving the area, only seeing its siblings around the stream, none of them looking upwards and Protector looked at them as they moved, trying to pick out any that its sire might desire to feed on. As it leaned against the tree its thoughts went to its sibling, Deadeye and a frown began to form on its face. The fact that it had brought back the corpse of the two beasts was true but the story it had was suspect in the fact that it had struck them down to protect two of its siblings but had failed. What Protector knew about Deadeye was that it would have watched them die then attack those that killed them when they were weak. And Gazer had clutched Protector's hand when Deadeye had walked into the den, and even Protector could sense something was different about its sibling, it would have to keep all three of its eyes on Deadeye, but for now there was the hunt! Dropping from the branch Protector landed with a small bit of noise, startling a few birds that tried to fly away but Protector swiftly picked up a few stones and threw them at the birds, striking down three of them and watched as they twitched a bit before dying. He called out to the others before he started to climb into the trees, hoping to find a bird nest to take the eggs if there were any.

Gazer looked over the fish, birds and eggs that the group had gathered with a small smile on its face when it saw the others who had grabbed branches start to look around and start to look for something to carry back the spoils, and this action made it smile, the others were starting to _think,_ and that would help them more then brute force no matter what their Sire thought. Something pushed against Gazer's shoulder and it turned its head and saw Protector who gestured towards to the other side of the stream with a look of worry on its eyes and Gazer closed its two side eyes and jerked backwards before Gazer looked at Protector with a pale look on its face and with a swift cry the Goblins picked up their food and faded into the woods, Gazer falling back when it saw Protector start to climb a tree, but a gesture from its sibling sent it after the others.

Protector climbed faster and moved so the tree it was climbing was between it and the river, it had to _know_ what it had sensed, it had to know had scared Gazer so much more than their sire in one of its moods. The first thing Protector saw was a tree crashing to the ground and a 6 foot tall gold colored insect Chimer with two tails, its left one broken walk towards the river, behind it… Protector stared at the Flame Horn that followed after, that was its sire's enemy. But it followed after the Insect and the Insect let it, why? Protector watched and saw that fire seemed to be coming from the Flame Horn's mouth and noticed that the fur on its legs looked…darker. It had _changed_ but how did the Flame Horn have access to the blessing liquid, its sire told the others it was from deep in the caves, that only it was tall enough to get it safely…. Protector just face palmed with its free hand. A lie then, the whole thing was just another way for it to control its spawn, but if it could use the liquid, then where did it come from truly? Protector looked at the two Chimera as they drank from the river, and saw the insect thrust one of its arms into the water and pull out a fish it threw onto the shore and the Flame horn start to make a circle of stones around it, it would find out what the secret was later, it was time to leave before it was discoverd.

The Duel Stinger [Broken Sting] drank from the river and relaxed a bit when it sensed that the watcher was leaving. The Flame Horn[Dark Flare] perked up and relaxed when its leader sent an Aura stream at it and nodded as it sent a pulse back causing Broken Sting to nodded and turn its full attention to the river, the watcher had likely been one of the spawn of an Ogre that had fought with Dark Flare before, but something about the watcher felt _different_. Well whatever the difference was, the two of them would deal with the Ogre and its spawn if they had to, for now food and drink was what they were after. Dark Flare picked up another stone and started a larger circle around the first one and smiled when another fish landed in the first circle.

Protector had a frown on its face when it caught up to its siblings and gestured for them to move on as it passed them, Gazer staring at it in concern as they moved but Protector merely gestured that they would talk later. They ran clutching what they had gathered until Protector slowed down when they neared the mountain their den was on. It led them to a log near the mountains base and gestured for them to rest while it looked around for any berries for them all to eat when it heard cheers. It looked toward the voices to see Deadeye leading five of their siblings, the cheer had come from its siblings who carried a log with two of the Dark wolf creatures that hunted around the mountain on it. Deadeye met protector's eyes and Protector noticed the increased muscles that the _blessing_ their sire had giving to it for bringing back two creatures. Something about the way Deadeye carried its self before the blessing bothered Protector, but Protector couldn't explain why but it didn't trust it or their sire anymore. It turned away and walked back towards Gazer and others, if Deadeye was bringing back an element Creature, then perhaps their group should bring back more meat, if only to keep up with Deadeye.

Deadeye scoffed as Protector turned away and looked back towards the mountains. That one would be trouble, it had always rubbed Deadeye the wrong way, the way it help those _weaklings_ that should be food. But perhaps Protector was right in gathering a group, but how it did it was wrong. It turned back to the others following it and smirked, finding these idiots fighting the creatures had let it kill one and gained a bit of trust in the ones it had rescued. And the bounty the corpses gave more then made a good offering for that _old fool_. Now if it could find a small party to bring to its new territory, a small group that wouldn't be missed or a few loyal ones that would back up his _facts_. He moved towards the mountain, this bounty would please the old one and tomorrow it go back towards its new place, its stomach was starting to feel strange and something told it the sooner they brought the offering to the Ogre the better.

Ogre looked over the bounty that its spawn had brought it, from the beasts, plants and creatures and grinned. The food brought by its spawn was more than normal; the others had been inspired by what Protector had brought back. It looked around and noticed that some of them were wounded and a few were missing, a good thing then that it had created more _pawns_ last night. It walked towards a side passage and noticed its spawn stop talking and looking at him as it walked. When it reached the passage it turned and started to speak to the watchers.

"Tiolark, goro sla tki! Wohlt vraf corlot?" Ogre demanded when it gestured towards the passage and out of it came more grey Goblins, some of them looked a little _different_ than the others. Gazer stared from where he and Protector were and noticed one in the back that seemed to be trying to look smaller then it was, Gazer central eye widened when it saw a small flash of pink light burst from it but as he looked around he realized none of the others had _seen_ the flash. Deadeye looked over the newcomers, not believing that it had 'found them like it had found all of them', after it had created the blessing it had realized that it was all so its sire could control them all, but Deadeye would have its revenge.

"Corlot tiolark!" Ogre called as it gestured to the food in the center of the cave, promting all of them to stare for a minute and then to rush to the pile, grabbing anything they could reach. Some of them started to fight over the choicer bits of food. Deadeye hung back and looked over the interactions of the newcomers, finally stopping on two of them who seemed to be working together to take everything from they could. One of them had an oversized right arm that it used to throw any of the others it picked up away, while the other one slashed out with claws. Deadeye smiled at them and when they started to take what they had grabbed away from the main cavern into a side cave it followed them and when they put the food down it jumped at them, the one with claws trying to turn when it heard the sounds of Deadeyes jump, not managing it before Deadeye crashed into the two of them feet first, sending them to the floor. Deadeye grinned at the two figures below it and smiled when they shot each other looks as Deadeye stepped off them, walked past the food and sent a savage punch into the cave wall, creating a three foot deep five foot wide crater in the wall before turning and looking at them with its arms crossed and a grin on its face as five other Goblins came in, carrying food that they put in a pile with the food the two had brought into the cave, Deadeye grabbing the choicest pieces of meat for itself as the two newcomers looked as the others started to eat.

The timid one had darted in and grabbed a few bits of food and had going into a side cave when something grabbed its shoulders threw it to the floor, looking up it saw a few of the newer goblins and older ones looking at the food and each other. The timid curled and put the food it had between its arms and body, hopping to protect its meal, prompting the others to start to strike at it. After a few seconds the timid one was surprised when suddenly the blows stopped. Looking up it saw a Goblin with large claws holding up one of them with the others knocked out on the floor. A hand and arm with flat sharp broad quills suddenly took up its vision; it followed the arm to Gazer's face who smiled at it. After a few seconds it took the hand and was pulled back to its feet and it saw Protector holding an unconscious Goblin as it stood among knocked out Goblins, the ones who had attacked it. Protector dropped the limp Goblin and gestured for the two of them to follow it, Gazer softly pulling it along as Protector lead the three of them to a cave with a Goblin standing outside of it, Protector nodding at it and gesturing for it to go into the cave, it leading them to three other goblins around a pile of food, Gazer letting the timid one sit and Protector offered it both a smile and a piece of fruit as the others started to grab their own food.

Ash sighed as he rubbed dirt off his cap as he put it on and walked out of the room he was using in the Pokémon Center. He had been up until midnight talking with his team and he was nervous, would the tactic he worked out work, would the four of them be able to handle it? He slapped his face and shook his head, this was no time for second thoughts, he had to believe that he would win, if he thought of losing then he had already lost as he learned so long ago. Pikachu stood at the doorway and smiled at him as he walked towards him.

"Rematch time buddy, and this time you know what to do when she sets up her strategy, right?" Ash asked Pikachu who sent a smirk towards his trainer as he nodded and jumped onto Ash's shoulder.

"Then let's go." Ash said as he walked out of the room. Once outside he saw his friends waiting for him and Pikachu, Serena looked worried.

"Are you sure you're ready to try and beat the Gym so soon Ash, Officer Jenny needed that TM for evidence, and you weren't able to download the instructions for the training." Serena said as she started to curse in her head. _That bastard had to try and use us like that! I hope Jenny throws the book at him, and he used that place to get rid of bodies, I don't want to think what he could have done to Ash if he had made the end a delivery instead of a pickup at the Center._

"This time I remember an old trick and realized another part of her strategy that even she might not have been aware of that helped her win against ground based opponents. I think this time I'll pull off a win." Ash said causing Lilly and Clemont to look at him in wonder.

"What could she not be aware of… Nevermind, you can tell us after." Clemont said before Bonnie could open her mouth, causing her look at her brother before Lilly laughed and put her hands on Bonnie's shoulder.

"My teacher said this, 'What others don't know they can't blurt out'. So let's let Ash keep his insights to himself until after the battle Bonnie-dear." Lilly said when Bonnie looked at her and nodded with a pout. _Actually it's 'what you don't know can't be tortured out of you' but I can't tell an unblooded girl that._ Lilith thought as she looked at Bonnie.

"Okay, but you'll tell me what you realized after the battle right?" Bonnie asked as she looked at Ash who nodded at her and started to walk towards the center's exit. At the doors out of the Center Nimue was waiting, and smiled when she saw them coming.

"Hey guys, I was wondering if you mind if I come with you? It's just I wanted to see a gym battle live and well, is this okay?" Nimue asked as she scratched the back of her head. Ash just smiled at her and nodded.

"Sure, the more the merrier I guess, say Lilly, did you pick up your Pokémon from Nurse Joy?" Ash asked as he turned his head toward her.

"Yeah, they were ready to be released yet, she said they'll be better tonight." Lilly said as the group walked out the door.

Rebecca sipped her tea as her eyes were fixed on the Center's door. She was wearing a white summer dress with flower designs and a wide hat and had a serene smile on her face as she looked around and smiled at a group of boys who blushed and looked away. _Oh it's always so fun to tease young idiots, but if only sis was enjoying this._ Rebecca sighed as she looked across the table.

"Milady, are you sure this is wise? Any must I ware such clothing?" The person across from her was dressed in a red shirt and black pants that hugged her hourglass figure as she fidgeted and rubbed her glasses, her red eyes a stark difference to her white hair as she watched her mistress with a blush on her face as she felt the stares of the people around her. As the chief of her lady's handmaids, she had served since she had been picked up from the orphanage by her lady's mother so many years ago, however since puberty she had become more self-conscious and when her lady brought her out like this she felt so embarrassed. _Why must the mistress always have to take only me when she goes on these outings?_ The woman thought to herself as she tried to get her blush down. Rebecca only sighed as she looked at her friend and _servant_ , Rebecca hated how her friend reacted to others _looking_ at her, her mother and brother had done such a _wonderful_ job on her friend's psyche.

"Claudia, please have some more confidence! And you know that I only take you on these outings so you can get some backbone, you've needed some since I met you." Rebecca said as she looked at her friend. _And that's a bold face lie; I remember how strong you were back then, before I went away to that school. I still don't know what happened to you but I will get you back sis._ Rebecca hid her thoughts as she smiled at Claudia, even though she was her handmaid, they had been friends first before she had gone away to boarding school. Claudia had helped her gain her own independence and sense of self beyond being a piece to be moved on the political board by her family and she could never repay her enough for that. When her parents had died and she had come home Claudia had acted like they had never met before. Over the last few years she had slowly built up a following among those who followed her family, a small group back in their family's compound, and once that idiot made a single move she would pounce and take over, a coup that leave her in command and her brother mind-wiped. She looked towards the Center and smiled when she saw Ash lead his friends out the door, frowning when she heard a sharp intake of breath from Claudia and turned and saw that she had her eyes locked on to something, no someone in the group across the street.

"What is it Claudia, what am I not seeing." Rebecca asked as she watched the group walk away from the Center, Rebecca eye's going over a small blonde girl dancing around the group and seemed to be chatting non-stop, Ash talking to a teen girl with blond hair as they walked and then she saw who looked like the blonde girl's elder brother walking next a black hair teen girl and a teenager with blue hair.

"The black haired one, she's walking like she's guarding someone, the boy leading them has a walk that shows he knows the weight of his blade and the blue haired one, she's on edge, she's looking to make sure that no one is trailing them. " Claudia said with a hard look in her eyes as she fingered a knife on the table until Ash led the others out of sight. Rebecca tapped a finger against her face, wondering just how she could use that knowledge. Shrugging, she went to her Pokégear and sent a message to a contact and smiled at the replay she got as she stood up.

"Come my dear; let us return to our _home_. I believe my brother would like to know about the show I just set up." Rebecca said with a smirk as she led Claudia out of the café.

"Do you think we will return in time to watch the battle m'lady?" Claudia asked as she followed her mistress out of the café. Her question was met with a laugh from Rebecca as she started to smirk.

"Of course we will and I think I'll use this battle to finally finish my plans with my foolish chauvinist brother, to finally finish it all." Rebecca said as she move towards the base.

Ash walked towards the gym, confident in his chance. This was it, today it would be his first victory on the Kalos League, he was sure of it! He kept a smile on his as he listened in on the others conversations as they walked through town, but he kept looking for any flashes of green, ready for any ambush that might happen. The last two clashes his friends had had with the Buzz Lords were starting to worry him, no matter how good this place was he would be happy to leave as soon as possible. As they neared the Gym Ash looked up and noticed a girl with was standing outside the doors to the Gym looking right at them as they came.

"That's fall enough! You want to fight Viola you get by me first, Charlotte, Trainer of the Santalune Gym!" She called out as soon as she locked eyes with Ash. Ash smiled and reached for a Pokeball, but stopped when Clemont walked before Ash.

"By what right are you stopping my friend from challenging the Gym? By what law do you imped his challenge?" Clemont said with a scowl on his face. Ash looked at this and nodded his head. _This is just more proof that he's a gym leader. This is just like how Cilan reacted to what Skyla was doing so she could fly her plane more._

"By the right to defend my Gym! He challenged Lady Voila and lost once already, if he wants another chance at her then he defeats me first! If I had been there the first time he challenged her he would had to go through me first! And what right do you have to ask me how a Gym Trainer protects her gym?" Charlotte said causing Clemont to grit his teeth and Bonnie to grab her brother's hand and look at her. Clemont knew that he would have to say who he was; Bonnie was enjoying traveling without that hanging over their shoulders since that had been one of the ways

"Clemont…" Bonnie trailed off as they locked eyes. Clemont gave her a sad smile and was going to say something when Ash put his hand on his shoulder.

"Its fine Clemont, I don't mind." Ash said when Clemont turned to look at him, a conflicted look in his eyes.

"Final but I referee the match!" Clemont said as the others moved to stand behind Ash as Clemont found a spot between the two Trainers. Ash looked over their makeshift battlefield. It was the same place Nimue had been ambushed and the others were by the building Lilly had used for cover to attack the Venomoths and he notice a street lamp with in the battlefield, he could use that if he had to.

"This Pokémon Battle is between Charlotte of the Santalune Gym and Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town! This will be a one on one Pokémon battle with no substitutions!" Clemont declared as he raised both his hands towards the two trainers.

"I Choose you, Froakie!" Ash called as his blue water Pokémon appeared from its ball.

"Lest go Combee!" Before Charlotte was a Pokémon whose body was three orange, hexagonal honeycomb with yellow faces on their front stuck together in a reverse pyramid shape with a wing on both of the top honeycombs.

"Use Gust to blow it away!" Charlotte cried out as soon as both Pokémon appeared. Combee wings started to beat rapidly before a gust of wind shot straight at Froakie.

"Dodge it and use Bubbles!" Ash called, prompting Froakie to start to run to the right, dodging the wind and pointed its mouth at Combee and shot blue clear bubbles at it, hitting it and causing it stop beating its wings and drop for a second before it stated to fly again. Charlotte grits her teeth as she tried to find a way to beat Ash. She couldn't let him win; he didn't deserve to fight Voila, not after what **he** said about her.

"Use Silver Wind! Attack it!" Charlotte cried. Combee wings started to glow silver and shot wind with silver crescents at Froakie. Some of them hit, causing Froakie to winch and move backwards.

"Froakie!" Ash cried as he looked about the makeshift battlefield, trying to find anyway to turn the tide of the battle. His eyes landed on the street lamp and he flashed back to when Lilly had sent up that flare and started to smirk.

Charlotte smiled as she saw Froakie being forced back; she would throw this little Water beast apart and reveal to the world just who her opponent was, she would never let this one into her Gym.

"Froakie, like when you searched for the flare, then fire!" Ash called out. _Like searched…what is he?_ Charlotte wondered as she stared.

As soon as Ash gave his order, Serena blushed a tiny bit when she remembered what she had been trying to do when that flare had lite up the sky. Bonnie looked up and frowned when she noticed Serena's face she was about to say something when an explosion brought her attention back to the battle.

Froakie jumped onto the top of the street lamp and quickly formed a sphere of water in its hands and shot it at the Bug type it was fighting and the explosion that the hit caused forced it to crash onto the ground.

"No!" Charlotte cursed as she stared at what had happened before being shocked back to her senses at Ash's next command.

"Jump on it Froakie, keep it down!" Ash called out. Froakie leapt from the lamp and hit Combee when it had begun to get back in the air being driven to the street again! Froakie grabbed onto the top portions of Combee's body and held on tight, ready to fire an attack at its trainer's signal.

"Combee! Why you!" Charlotte snarled died in her throat as she saw Ash's eyes as he met hers with, a hard stare in his eyes that shock her for a second before she realized what he was saying.

"Froakie is at point blank and is holding on to your Pokémon. Surrender, my team won this match." Ash said before the doors to the Gym burst open, Voila dashing out with Alexa right behind her. They stopped when they saw the battle, Froakie on Combee and Charlotte staring down Ash.

"What the hell? How'd this happen?" Voila asked as she and her sister just starred. Clemont answered her from where he was standing.

"Miss Charlotte stopped Ash from challenging you Voila, something about defender her gym." He said, causing Voila to stare at Charlotte in shock.

"Charlotte, what the hell were you thinking, you know that I don't mind trainers challenging me!" Viola said as she scowled at Charlotte who looked back abashed.

"I couldn't let him fight you mam, not after what he said on Pokénet about you." Charlotte said as she bowed her head, not noticing the confused looks on the others face.

"What do you mean, _what I said about her_?" Ash called from where he was standing. Charlotte turned and saw that he looked confused and started to wonder if she had the right person. _But he has a Pikachu that was free, just like he said he would…._

"Aren't you PikaTrainer? You-he-they said they were coming with their Pikachu on their shoulder to beat 'that hack-job photographer and her stupid bugs'." Charlotte said as she fumbled for her phone. Ash just looked at her before sighing, gesturing for Froakie to get off Combee, nodding at his Pokémon when it raised an arm before it jumped off Combee who flew to hover near its trainer who looked at Ash in confusion who just walked towards her.

"Let me guess, you're in charge of the Gym's online presence, right? You always update the pages and monitor any talk about it around a specific time of day, right? And for the last day or so PikaTrainer has been trolling the gym and Viola, either in her hobby, fashion sense or other." Ash asked as the others started to came over.

"Yeah…why are you asking?" Charlotte asked only for Ash to sigh and shake his head.

"Ash?" Serena asked, not noticing Lilith's eyes widened before she gained a hard look in her eyes. _Oh don't tell me this is…._ Lilith stopped thinking when Ash started to speak.

"This happened to me before, someone with a grudge and made a name on Pokénet and called him out, never found out who." Ash said, causing Serena to look at him in shock and Charlotte to start to look ashamed while Viola looked confused while Alexia started to gain a look of understanding.

"I can't believe I was played! I've shamed the gym!" Charlotte said as tears started to fall from her eyes

"Don't be too hard on yourself, you've always loved the gym even when your grandfather was the leader, and I'm more of a place holder until you're ready to take over really." Viola said as she rubbed Charlotte's head. Charlotte just stared and grabbed Viola in a hug as she started to cry silently. Viola meet Ash's gaze and lowered her head.

"On behave of the Santalune Gym I request that you forgive Gym Trainer Charlotte for blocking your Gym challenge." Viola said formally, while Ash gave a deep bow.

"I, Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town do forgive Gym Trainer Charlotte for her actions, all she did was defend what she loved against one who she thought was not worthy to challenge that which she defended, I am happy that we cleared up the confusion cast upon us by another." Ash said formally, causing Serena to smile, Bonnie and Clemont to look at him and shock and Lilith to look at him with respect.

Lilith looked at Ash and marveled at him. _If I harbored any doubts about who he is there gone, that sounded just like the boss when he's passing formal judgment._

Viola nod with a smile and started to lead Charlotte away, "I'll meet you at the Battlefield once I'm done, Alexia would you mind leading them into the gym?" Viola asked as Charlotte recalled her Pokémon.

"Sure sis, follow me please." Alexia said as she gestured for the group to follow her. Ash recalled Froakie and the gang entered walked towards the gym.

"Are you okay Serena? Your face looked a little red before." Bonnie asked as they followed Alexia into the gym. Serena blushed some more, causing Lilly to giggle and squeeze Bonnie's shoulder.

"She's just fine Bonnie, as for why her face is red, well you'll understand why when you're older." Lilly said when Bonnie looked up at her. Lilly looked at Serena and had a look on her face that seemed to be begging to tease her, but Lilly only smirked at her.

"Say, how about the two of us go shopping after the match, I saw a skirt the other day that I think you might like Serena, it would give us a chance to _talk_." Lilly said, causing Nimue to perk up as well.

"Mind if I come along girls, I need a bit of red fabric for a costume I'm working on, and that café we went to the other day had great cakes." Nimue cut in as they entered the battlefield and moved to watch Ash and Viola's rematch. Serena just sighed and smiled at Lilly. _I guess that would be okay, I've been on the other side of things like this before so being on the other side might be okay._

"Okay, let's hope it's a celebration in honor of Ash winning." Serena said before she felt Bonnie tug at her skirt.

"If its cake, is it okay that I tag along?" Bonnie asked with puppy eyes. Serena looked at the other two and when they smiled and nodded she turned to Bonnie with a smile.

"Sure Bonnie, that's fine but let's just watch Ash's match." Serena said as they were led into the room the battlefield was in.

"And what did you want me to see?" Rex sneered as he looked at his sister as some of the servants finished setting up a projector.

"The group that has been beating our members lately, one of them is attempting to challenge the gym for the second time; and from what my contact said he lost the same way you did, so I thought you would like to see it." Rebecca said simply as she sat next to him in a gown, Claudia next to her in a black maid's uniform with a skirt that went to her knees, white gloves that went to her elbows with a teapot in her hands as she poured tea from it into a teacup that was handed to Rebecca, who accepted it silently.

"The thing I was able think up to break through her strategy is to either use flyers to make the ice floor portion unnecessary or to take her Surskit down before it could freeze the floor or web up the walls. And this punk is probably using his victories over my idiots as false confidence." Rex said as he leaned back and took a glass from a female servant with pink hair.

"Then it will show us if the Gym Leader is stronger than our last report." A waspy voice said caused Rex to look up and see Damian walked towards them, prompting Rex to frown as soon as he saw him.

"What about the problem at the jail Damian?" Rex demanded as he glared at him. His words were met with a smile through the bandages and he was giving a cold reply.

"I already sent my hunter on it. The problem will be dealt before it becomes an issue." Damian said as he leaned against the back wall, his eyes on the projection.

"Claudia be a dear and get another cup for Sir Damian." Rebecca said as she smiled at Damian.

"As you say mam." Claudia said before she walked to follow her orders, while Damian nodded his hand at both of them.

"The punk will loss the match, I'm willing to bet on it." Rex snorted, causing Rebecca to smirk behind a fan she raised before her face.

"Oh are you brother, you have that much confidence in you hated rival? Are our plans for the conquest in danger of being shelved?" Rebecca purred as Damian looked at Rex.

"The plan for our conquest of this area is on track, I just had to plan around her strategy, she will win because the battlefield is limited in gym battles and the rules of the league, we will win because the battlefield will be the town and there will be no rules." Rex growled, causing Rebecca to laugh.

"Then a bet brother, shall the stakes be high?" Rebbeca's question caused Rex to smirk and looked at her and decided this was as good a time to put her in her place.

"Fine sister, however if I win the bet then you and I will look into finding a match for you that will help our position in the Returners." Rex said with a smirk, only to be met with Rebecca's confident eyes. Claudia who had just returned with a tea cup and was behind Rex stopped and looked at Rex with hard eyes and started to slowly reach towards her sleeves, she would defend her mistress if this was need. Rebecca met Claudia's eyes and a look in them caused her to slowly lower her hands and move to the cart holding the tea pot.

"Then I shall tell you what I get when I win, if you are that confident brother." Rebecca said looking at Rex who only smiled. Final their people had finished setting up the projector and the Gym's battlefield was shown on the wall, Ash on one side and Voila on the otherside.

"Fine sister, then shall we watch this match." Rex said as he leaned back. _Don't win to fast Voila, I want to savoir finally putting my sister where she was meant to be._

"I witness this bet, and I will enforce it upon the completion of it." Damian's voice cut through the silence causing Rex to look at him with a glare in his eyes.

"The Gym battle rematch between Ash, the challenger, and Viola, the Santalune Gym Leader, will now begin! Each side will have the use of two Pokémon and the battle will be over when either Trainer's Pokémon are unable to continue! Only the challenger may substitute Pokémon!" A woman in green clothing said as Ash and Viola took their positions.

"I hope you're ready for our rematch Ash!" Viola called out with a grin on her face.

"Yeah, this time I'll crush your tactics Viola!" Ash called out with a smirk.

"My lens is still focused on victory and nothing will ruin this shot!" Viola said with a forceful tone.

"Go, Surskit!" Viola cried as she threw out a Pokéball, release her Surskit.

"Time to even the score, right, Pikachu?" Ash said before Pikachu ran onto the battlefield

"Pika! Pika!" Pikachu agreed as he stood ready to battle.

"Battle Begin!" The Referee called out throwing her arms out towards both trainers.

Surskit started to glide back and forth while Pikachu stood its ground keeping its eyes on Surskit.

"They're waiting to see Surskit's first move." Alexia commented as she watched with the others

"Smart, after being defeated their letting their opponent make the first strike to try to get an idea of what it'll do." Lilith said as she crossed her arms.

"Ash and Pikachu, get them, get them, get them!" Bonnie called throwing her head back and shaking her arms.

"Dedenne!" Dedenne cheered as it sat on Bonnie's head.

"You can't take a picture without pressing the shutter and you can't win a battle without attacking! All right, Surskit, use Sticky Web!" Viola called out.

"Dodge it Pikachu!" Ash called out, though Pikachu need no prompting to dodge the webs Surskit, dodge some of the shots by a hairs breath, causing Viola to gasp in shock.

"Now Pikachu use Thunderbolt!" Ash commanded before Pikachu sent a massive bolt of electricity straight at Surskit.

"Surskit, Protect!" Viola cried, causing Surskit to generate a dome of green energy around it that caused the electricity to flow over the dome.

"Signal Beam, go!" Viola called out, promoting Surskit to drop the dome and jump into the air and fire a streaky pink energy beam from the antenna on its body.

"Dodge, then Iron Tail!" Ash called. Pikachu jumped back backwards dodging the beam which caused a cloud of dust to form when it hit, before Pikachu jumped up and spun forward hitting Surskit with its tail colored steel grey, sending Surskit crashing to the ground, creating a dust cloud as it hit, Surskit skating backwards towards its trainer out of the cloud.

"Surskit!" Viola called out as saw her Pokemon recover from the blow from Pikachu's Iron Tail.

"All right!" Serena said with a smile on her face as she watched the battle. Lilith watched as Ash and Pikachu fought and turned her head towards Clemont and frowned when she saw Nimue stepping backwards, her face turning pale. Lilith moved to Nimue who had walked backwards into a tree she then slumped down and leaned against it. Lilith walked to her and put one of her hands on Nimue's shoulder caused her to look up.

"Are you alright Nimue?" Lilith asked as she looked down at her.

"This is a gym battle, I I I've heard of them but this is so intense, I've fought battles back home but the way those two are going at it…. Not even when we were attacked by those people did I feel such emotions just _watching a battle_." Nimue said in awe as she looked at the battlefield. Lilith merely frowned at the response she received. _I already know that the people she's running from aren't above mind control but were more…invasive methods used by them? The next time I contact home I should ask for a healer to come and look at her._

"You didn't react anything like this when you competed at the Contest or when you fought off those people that night." Lilith said, trying to get Nimue to help get it back together.

"It felt different to be competing, I can't explain it." Nimue said causing Lilith to frown and curse in her head.

"I can, I'll talk to about it later, okay? For now let's just watch." Lilith said, helping Nimue back to her feet and to the group.

"Yay! Pikachu really nailed it!" Bonnie said as she smiled.

"Iron Tail isn't that effective against Surskit,but considering how Pikachu wasn't able to land an attack at all last time, it was a meaningful hit!" Clemont said, causing the others to look at him for a few seconds.

"Now, let's refocus this battle! Time to use Ice Beam and create an ice battlefield!" Viola said with a smile as she looked

Surskit's antenna stated to glow blue, generating a pulsing blue energy ball.

"Don't let Surskit use Ice Beam!" Ash called out, before Pikachu jumped onto Surskit's body, Surskit rocking back and forth trying to throw Pikachu off.

"Stay on it and use Thunderbolt!" Ash cried out as he watched Pikachu hold onto Surskit.

"Shake it loose and use Ice beam!" Viola called, as Surskit started to increase its movements as Pikachu's checks started to spark.

"Pika!" Pikachu grunted as Surskit started to fire blue beams that iced over trees, hanging lamps and the ground before Surskit was finally able to throw Pikachu onto the ground before it shot the beam at the roof, reflecting and splitting the beam back towards the ground.

"Pikachu, dodge it!" Ash called before Pikachu started to jump, dodge the falling beams until Pikachu landed on the iced over battlefield, causing the others to gasp.

"Another picture-perfect ice battlefield! Surskit, start skating!" Viola called as she grinned. Surskit started to skate around Pikachu as it was flat on the ice.

"It's just like the last battle!" Bonnie said as the group stared.

"Dedenne!" Dedenne said as it watched.

"The difference is Ash has created counters based on past experiences, he told me that." Serena said as she stared. _Come on Ash, you and your team can do it. She_ thought about what had Ash had said to her last night.

 _Serena had walked through the Center, walking back towards the room she, Bonnie and Lilly were using when she saw Ash walking from the dining room._

" _Hey Serena; heading back to your room?" Ash asked as he waved at her._

" _Yeah… Say Ash, are you sure you're be able to win tomorrow?" Serena asked as she looked as him, fighting down a blush. Ash grinned and held up a clenched fist._

" _Yeah, this time I'm drawing on my experiences, I break through it tomorrow!" Ash declared with a smile._

"Can you get up, Pikachu?" Ash asked as he watched. _This is it, Pikachu just needs to stand, then we can anchor him!_ Ash thought as he clenched his fists.

"Pika! Pikachu!" Pikachu grunted as it stood back up on the ice.

"This ice battlefield is my studio! I'm the photographer and I call the shots! Surskit, Signal Beam!" Viola cried out.

"Surskit!" Surskit trilled as it stopped skated around and started to generate a streaky pink energy ball.

"Now, Pikachu! Like we planned!" Ash called out as he started to grin.

"Pika!" Pikachu cried out as he brought his tail down and broke the ice on the field, wedging his tail into the ice. The others gasped as the watched the battle, shocked by what Pikachu had done.

"That's the thing Ash wouldn't tell us about! How he was going to deal with the ice battlefield!" Clemont said with a grin on his face.

"Of course! Remove the possibility of slipping and the ice becomes meaningless! Genius, pure genius!" Lilith said as she watches the battle. _It's this kind of thing that makes me sure he's the boss's son!_

"Way to go! Now use Thunderbolt!" Ash said with a smirk

"Pika Pikachu!" Pikachu squealed as he fired a bolt of electricity at Surskit as it fired the Signal Beam, meeting the attack and overpowering it to strike Surskit and send it flying.

"Surskit, no!" Viola cried out as she watched Surskit hit the ice and trill and collapse, loosing conciseness.

"Surskit is unable to battle! Pikachu wins!" The referee said as she raised her arm towards Ash.

"We did it!" Ash said as he smiled. _It worked perfectly, now I just need to deal with her Vivillon and I'll win the badge._ Ash thought as he looked at Viola.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu huffed as it tried to catch its breath as Bonnie and Serena cheered from the sidelines.

"Who knew Pikachu would plant its tail to stay balanced." Alexia observed as she watched.

"Hey, Serena? Ash said he was drawing from his experiences, right? What did he experience on his journey?" Lilith asked as she stood next to Nimue.

Viola recalled her Pokémon and smiled at its ball.

"Surskit, that was excellent. Now, get a good rest." Viola said as she looked up at Ash.

"Pikachu, return!" Ash called

"Pikachu!" Pikachu said as it ran to stand next to Ash.

"What? You're done battling with Pikachu?" Viola asked with shock. _Is he going to use that water type, or is he going to use Flectling?_ Viola thought as she looked at Ash.

"Fletchling wants a chance for a rematch against Vivillon too! Fletchling, I choose you" Ash said as he threw Fletchling's Pokéball.

"Fletchling!" Fletchling called as it hovered above the battlefield.

"Picture-perfect! Let's do this, Vivillon!" Viola called as she released Vivillon

"Vivillon!" it called as it flew through the air.

"They won't have to worry about Sticky Web this time!" Serena smiled as she watched.

"And Ash can thank Pikachu for that!" Bonnie agreed.

"All right, Fletchling, Steel Wing, let's go!" Ash called out. Fletchling flew at Vivillon, missing the Bug type before it flew above Vivillon, when it turned its wings started to glow white and it shot at Vivillon.

"Use Psychic!" Viola called out, Vivillon eyes started to glow blue before Fletchling gained a blue outline before Fletchling was moved in a circle a few times by Vivillon's move before it was slammed into the ground.

"Fletchling, no! Be strong! Now, get up!" Ash called to his struggling Pokémon. Fletchling seemed to be on the verge on falling down before it stood up and raised it its head.

"Great, Fletchling! Now Steel Wing again!" Ash called as he looked with pride at his Pokémon.

"Fletch! Fletchling!" Fletchling called out as it took to the air, its wings swiftly gaining a white glow before it hit Vivillon in a fly by. Vivillon 'fell' away from the side it was hit, smoke moving away from the impact site.

"Way to go! Now, use Peck" Ash called out. Fletchling moved its body in a circle before it hugged its wings to its body as its beck glowed white and shot at Vivillon.

"Dodge it, quick!" Viola called out in worry.

"Ling! Ling!" Vivillon called as it dodge Fletchling attack by a hair's breath, turning to keep Fletchling in its sight.

"All right! Use Gust!" Viola cried. Vivillon wings glowed blue before it flapped them and sent a blast of wind at Fletchling that pushed it backwards.

"Remember what I told you Fletchling!" Ash called as Fletchling tried to right itself.

"Pika!" Pikachu cried out in encouraged as it watched the battle. Fletchling kept its wings straight and rode the wind, gliding into the attack.

"Great, Fletchling, ride it!" Clemont said as he raised a fist. Lilith looked at the battle and thought of a few instances in her own past. _I did see on the records I was giving on the flight that he had a Gliscor, so maybe that's the source of this._ Lilith thought as Bonnie and Serena cheered.

"Fletchling, use Razor Wind now!"

"Fletchling!" Fletchling cried as its wings start to glow white and it then started to spin into a ball.

"Vivillon, Sleep Powder!" Viola called as she watched what was happening. Vivillon flapped its glowing wings, sending a cloud of green powder at Fletchling. Fletchling was able to send two crescent-shaped energy waves at Vivillon before the green powder engulfed Fletchling. One of the crescent-shaped energy waves hit, causing Vivillon to grit its teeth, but the Sleep Power had done its job, sending Fletchling to the ground asleep.

"I had no idea Vivillon could use Sleep Powder!" Clemont gasped as he watched Fletchling fall to the ground. _Calm down, it must have learned it in a pre-evolved form. Ash still has Pikachu if Fletchling doesn't wake up, he can still win this._

Lilith cursed under her breath as she watched. _This is why hunting Chimera has always been so difficult in the Jungle Domain, powders and_

"Uh-oh

"Excellent! Picture-perfect! Vivillon, Solar Beam!" Viola called with a smile. Vivillon's wings started to glow yellow as spots formed off its wings that collected in a point between its eyes that sent a powerful yellow beam at Fletchling, causing an explosion that Fletchling fell out of and hit the floor.

"Oh, no! Fletchling!" Ash cried as he watched.

"Pika!" Pikacu cried with worry.

"Fletchling is unable to battle! Vivillon wins!" The Referee called out.

"Aw, poor Fletchling lost!" Bonnie complained.

"There's no way my sister would let Ash win without a real fight." Alexia said.

"That's okay! We believe in Ash!" Serena said with a smile.

"Off course we do, he'll win!" Lilith agreed with a smirk.

"Good job. You battled hard, Fletchling, so get lots of rest. I need you to get back in there, Pikachu." Ash said as he recalled Fletchling. Pikachu nodded and jumped on the ice, ready to battle.

"Now, Vivillon, use Gust!" Viola called as she gestured at Pikachu and Ash. Vivillon's glowing blue wings flapped rapidly and sent a wind storm at Pikachu, who struggled to stay still.

"Hang tough, Pikachu! You can stay on your feet." Ash cried.

"Pikachu's still feeling the effects of the battle with Surskit!If this drags on, it could be at a real disadvantage!" Clemont said with a look of worry on his face.

"It's still one to one, they just need to handle, Vivillon and they've got this." Nimue said softly as she watched, fighting back her panic. _What is wrong with me,_

"Pikachu can't beat my Vivillonin that state. I'm afraid you're going to have to wait longer for your badge." Voila said with a smirk.

"Yeah, well, there's no way we're giving up! That's not what we're about! We'll keep battling right up until the very end!" Ash declared as he stared at Vivillon. _Think Ash. Vivillon was already hurt by Fletchling's battle, we just need to get in a few hits and we can win this it!_

Serena stared at Ash, memories of when they had first met before the siege appeared in her head, causing her to smile as she watched Ash. _Good to see that he never really changed over the years, but I knew that from my talks with him._

"Huh? Don't give up till it's over! I admire your persistence, but this is the end! Gust, one more time!" Viola called out. Vivillon sent another wind storm straight at Pikachu, who struggled to stay down.

"Pikachu! Iron Tail, let's go!" Ash said with force.

"Pika! Pika!" Pikachu slammed its glowing tail in the ice creating a dust cloud that revealed Pikachu balancing upright on its glowing tail as it was lodged into the ice.

"It's using Iron Tail!" Serena said in shock.

"Another great way to stay put!" Clemont exclaimed

"Pikachu is so cool!" Bonnie said as she threw her head back.

"That's amazing, truly amazing." Lilith whispered as she watched.

"Pretty clever, but you just made it even easier for me to focus! Vivillon, use Solar Beam!" Viola called out as she watched Pikachu. _This is it, sorry Ash but I win this one._

Vivillon stated to glow and sent a massive yellow beam at Pikachu.

"Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!" Ash yelled.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu cried out as it sent a bolt of electricity that meet the Solar Beam. The collision of attacks generated a dust cloud that blocked the battlefield from the view of everyone.

"Argh! Vivillon, Sleep Powder!" Viola bit out. Vivillon sent a green cloud of spores straight at Pikachu. The attack hit it and it fell off its tail and laid on the ice limply.

"So here we are. It's my chance to take a great last picture!" Viola said smugly as she pointed at Pikachu.

"Pikachu! Ash! You've got to hang in there!" Serena called as she leaned forward.

"Let's finish this up! Solar Beam!" Viola said with a smirk.

"Pikachu! Wake up!" Ash cried. _How can I get Pikachu to get awaken, he always wakes me up when he shocks…._

"Ah. Pikachu! Use Electro Ball on yourself!" Ash screamed, hoping Pikachu would hear him. Pikachu breathed heavy as he laid on the ice and stood up shakily and generated a ball of electricity on its tail and that he sent upwards as he started to heave that fell onto him, creating a cloud of smoke that revealed Pikachu standing on a bare patch of the battlefield, the spores off him.

"All right!" Bonnie and Serena cried as they clasped hands.

"It neutralized Sleep Powder with an Electric-type move on itself!" Clemont said as he stared open mouthed. _Amazing! I have to remember that trick; it could do a lot for my gym battles._

"That was amazing!" Nimue said as she started to regain some color in her checks. She had started to channel a little aura through her body, an old trick her mother had taught her to handle illness and status attacks, it seemed to work on whatever was wrong with her.

"Heh-heh! That's so very, very Ash!" Alexia said as she smiled. _Sorry sis but I think you've lost this match, if he makes it to the Conference it's gonna be great!_

"Vivillon, Solar Beam!" Vivillon fired a yellow beam at Pikachu who stood defiantly.

"We're all with you, so put everything into this move! Use Electro Ball!" Ash commanded. Pikachu threw a ball of electricity at the Solar Beam and hit and overpowered it, passing through a cloud of dust generated by the collision of attacks and flew at Vivillon, a spark flowed over Vivillon skin and stopped its movement for a few seconds, long enough for the Electro Ball to hit it and throwing it backwards, hitting a few of the iced hanging lamps as it until it stopped and started to fly with only one wing.

"Vivillon, no!" Viola cried out as she saw her Pokemon flying strangely. _What happened, is this the result of that shock, or…no it couldn't be, could it?_ Viola thought as she stared at the battlefield.

"Come on, Vivillon, be strong!" Viola cried out as she looked and worried.

"Uh-oh. Vivillon's flying kind of weird all of a sudden." Bonnie observed as she leaned forward.

"Look at its wing! It's covered with ice!" Clemont said as he pointed at Vivillon.

"No. How can this be?" Viola asked as she watched. _How did the ice transfer to her wing, I don't understand!_

"Pikachu! Now use Thunderbolt!" Ash's voice snapped Viola out of her thoughts and could only watch what happened next.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu cried as he sent a massive bolt of electricity at Vivillon that went through it, shocking Vivillon as it did so and continued on the path the bolt went after Vivillon dropped to the floor after

"Vivillon, no!" Voila cried as she looked at the battlefield.

"Vivillon is unable to battle! Pikachu wins! Which means the winner of the match is Ash!" The Refferre said as she pointed her arm at Ash

"All right!" Ash cried as he raised his right arm.

"Pika! Pi!" Pikachu cried as he jumped into Ash's arms.

"Ha-ha. We did it, Pikachu!" Ash said as he gave Pikachu a hug

"Ash!" Serena called out as she led the group towards Ash.

A goblet dropped to the floor from suddenly slack fingers. Rex stared in shock, unable to comprehend what he had seen. _That punk actually beat her! Not letting the ice affect attacks by anchoring his Pokémon to the floor, that was amazing, and that Electro-ball move, by_ _Arceus I can't even! Maybe I can use him, that tactical skill would make a lot of goals easier to reach if his skills translate to unit tactics, but only if I had a way to control his loyalty….that girl._ Rex started to grin as he looked at the projection as he started to laugh.

"My, my. I never thought that you would laugh about the fact that I won our little bet?" The purr of his sister's voice caused him to remember that he wasn't alone in the theater. Turning to his sister with a snarl on his face he stared at her and scowled as he looked at the grin on her face.

"You won the bet sister. What is it that you want?" Rex said as sat down on his chair and glared. _What will she want; a bigger control of the gang, a vacation on my dime or who knows what?_

"The Key of the Lord, I believe that I won the bet and I want the Key of the Lord." Rebecca said with an even tone. Rex shook and looked at her, wondering why she wanted that old relic.

"That old paperweight, fine it's yours I don't know why you want it but fine." Rex said with a look of confusion on his face.

"I **won** it from you then?" Rebecca said as she smirked at her brother, causing him to look at her with anger in his eyes.

"Yes you won it and you can get it yourself, I have work to attend to!" Rex snapped as he watched his sister stand up from her chair. Claudia followed behind her as she left, not paying attention to Rex as he fumed.

"I will accompany the Lady Rebecca if you don't mind sir Rex, just so that I can report that this bet was treated fairly by the Tristo family." Damian said with a wasp as he stood and bowed to Rex.

"Fine, go and do that, but I want the problem at the police station dealt with soon, do you understand me?" Rex said as he looked at Damian and clenched the sides of his chair.

"I understand completely Sir Rex, rest assured it will be not cause you further trouble." Damian said as he followed after Claudia.

Rex looked at his sister as she walked off, trying to figure out her game. _Why the hell does she want the Key of the Lord, it's not worth anything and if she had asked for it I would have just given it to he, did she have so much confidence that she just made that bet because she was sure he would win? And why did she word it that way?_ Rex shook his head and looked around until he saw the pink haired servant from before standing at attention waiting for his orders.

"You, call in my specialists, I have a job for them." Rex ordered, causing her to bow to him.

"As you command my Lord." She said as she walked out of the room, leaving Rex to his thoughts.

A few minutes later the servant was back leading a group of five people in black clocks one stepped forward and looked at him from with two glowing eyes from within the darkness of his hood.

"What do you want with us, have you decided on your final mission Lord Tristo?" A quite voice asked from the figure that caused Rex to cringe as he cursed to himself. _That's right this is the final mission I can take from them for the Dark Quest. But if I can get him under my control then the time table for getting the entire region back the way it's supposed to be would be accelerated if he can make strategies like that then it would be worth it._ Rex looked at them and made his decision.

"Yes this will be the final part of your Quest, I will give you the data chip once I have the person I want." Rex declared as the clocked figures stood at attention as the eyes of the figure at the front started to glow brighter.

"Who is it that we are to bring to you?" The front figure questioned before the projector started to show the last picture of the Gym battle. When Ash was shown on the screen walking towards his friends Rex didn't notice the clocked figures going still as soon as they saw him.

"That boy is who you desire?" The leader asked in a hard voice, not that Rex noticed it.

"No I want the honey haired girl. The boy is going to be of immense help for me." Rex chuckled as he leaned back as he imagined his future. He never noticed that the robbed figures had turned to each and sent an Aura stream into a center point of all of them, forming a ball that after a few seconds the ball dispersed and the leader nodded at its fellows.

"I expect payment as soon as I return, my team and I have spent more time here than we expected. And if we are to fight him again then I feel that my team will have earned our payment either way." The leader said as he walked towards the exit to the chamber. Rex watched them go and sat down. _What was that about, perhaps they've seen him before like my sister, whatever as long I have her I don't care how they know him._

"Is there anything else I can do my lord?" The voice of the pink haired woman brought Rex out of his thoughts and he looked at her before he shook his head.

"No get out of here and find something to do, I want to be notified once those five are done." Rex ordered, causing the woman to bow and leave the room.

"So the twerp beat the first gym here after a rematch, and those people we were casing, their big boss is mad and want to capture his friends?" The speaker was a woman with long magenta colored hair in a long tail and was wearing a short black shirt that exposes her midriff under a white high collared sleeved shirt emblazoned with a large red R, a white miniskirt, black leg-length boots, and long black arm-sleeves. She and two others were crunched down and looking at a tablet that their spy bot was transmitting to in a side alley that gave them a view of the Buzz Lord's building.

"I told ya if we looked into the gangs around 'ere we'd strike paydirt! I mean, look at all those powerful Bugs, all we gotta do is wait for the Twerp to bulldoze his way through and pick up a few of the spoils to send to the boss." A small feline like Pokémon with a gold coin on its head said as it grinned at the two trainers before it.

"Jessie I don't like this." The speaker was a man with short blue hair in a white shirt with a red R and long sleeves, black gloves and white pants with black boots. He looked at the tablet and started to call up other pictures and looked at them intently, a frown growing on his face as he looked over the pictures. Jessie looked at the pictures and started to glow red when she saw that all of them were of the female servants waiting on the gangers.

"What don't you like James?! The fact that we have a plan that doesn't let them serve you like they are doing?!" Jessie asked causing James to look at her before going red himself.

"I don't mean anything like that! It's the eyes! The eyes of those girls, I think something is very wrong with them." James said with force as he increased the magnification on the servant's eyes. Jessie jolted and shared a look with Meowth. As they looked at the images she and Meowth tried to see just what had caused James to speak up.

"What about their eyes, wait a second! Their all… How'd they get like that from just Bugs?!" Meowth exclaimed as he looked and noticed the condition of the servant's eyes. Jessie frowned and then went still when she finally noticed that most of the female servant's eyes were blank and they had no expressions on their faces.

"How'd you see that James?" Meowth asked as he stared in shock as he starched his head, James looking away with a small frown on his face.

"You two met my parents; the other servants beside **him** were the people I interacted with the most in those days. After a while they dropped the masks they had around me but I saw them put them back up when my parents were around. I got used to picking out the eyes first on people from interacting with them; it's a skill that's let me survive over the years." James's replay caused Jessie to look back over their partnership and nodded.

"Alright so what do we do, Team Rocket can't be linked to a tip off to the cops!" Meowth exclaimed. Jessie and James started to think until James looked up with a grin on his face.

"We can throw a stone at a window! It could have the address on a paper and it might bring them!" James said with a bit of force in his voice. Meowth crossed its arms and nodded.

"I'll do it, you guys stay here and follow the twerp in when he gets here. Cause I remember that he still has a few coins left." Meowth said causing James and Jessie to look at him in confusion.

"You sure chum?" James asked, wondering why the Scracth-Cat was volunteering for this. Meowth nodded and look at them with a serious look in his eyes.

"Yeah, Bug types would catch me out as soon as I'm inside. This way I can tell you if the locals are mobilizing, with my skills I'll be able to get onto a roof top and my strength will let me throw the rock from out of sight. It's the best thing to do and you two better be ready to grab a few of the eggs, the boss loves them the most." Meowth said with a smirk as his two companions nodded. As they planed their strategy they never noticed a camera focused on them from a behind a broken window, never knowing that they had been seen by the security set up by the Buzzlords.

A pink haired woman in a servants outfit watched a monitor in a darkened room, the picture of Team Rocket as they planned on the screen. The woman dropped a small black box from a gloved hand and when the monitor went black she detected a trace of smoke and then with a smile on her face she turned towards the door and opened it. _It seems that I won't have to send a message to Dear Jenny after all. And if I'm right my 'team' will be able to handle the prison transport and their 'recruitment'._ With a chuckle she walked out and pushed the door closed as she turned and smiled when she saw she was alone, she hurried to a staircase and walked down it and stopped to check if anyone was about the lower level. Seeing no one she walked down the hallway and had just reached another wing of the building when she heard a cry of terror above her that caused her to start to giggle, it seemed someone had found her work. As she walked off as she saw gang members rush towards the stairway she wondered how this would affect the next few hours. _Try to handle this my oh so noble master. Within the next day this whole organization will be burned out and I will be heading home or to ambush some of you._ As she movedshe adopted the same mask she had been using since her infiltration.

"Great win Ash! You and your team really pulled off a great comeback!" Serena said as she and the others clustered around Ash.

"Let me guess you dealt with a heavy winds and a Pokémon that glided was involved, a group maybe?" Lilith asked as she smiled.

"Yeah, it was a pack of Gligar and a Gliscor was blown into a city, man was that a problem." Ash said as he scratched the back of his head as he laughed. Serena looked at Ash and gained a small blush as she saw the figure he gave off as the light hit. She shook her head and looked towards Voila who was laughing as she talked to Alexia. After a few minutes Viola walked towards a box and opened it, taking out a small hand tray with a cloth over something on it.

"Great battle Ash, you've earned this, the Bug Badge of the Santalune Gym!" Viola said with a smile as she removed the cloth to reveal the badge. It was it was brown and shaped like a beetle. Ash took it and looked at Viola with a smile.

"There are some things you can only seewhen looking througha camera's viewfinder and things you'll only see clearly by living together with Pokémon. Keep strengthening the bonds you share with your Pokémon and good luck!" Viola said as she offered Ash her hand, who reached over and shook it.

"Thanks for a great battle Viola, good luck in the future." Ash said with a smile. Alexia smiled as she watched them interact.

"Ash, I imagine you're headingto your next Pokémon Gym battle. In that case, how about the Gym in Cyllage City? And I heard a rumor that a contest is going to happen in Odyssey Village within the next few days." Alexia said as she saw her sister jolt and look at her.

"Cyllage City, isn't Odyssey Village between that place and this city?" Clemont asked as Ash opened his Pokédex and called up a map of Kalos, quickly finding the general locations of the two cities.

"Thanks Alexia, oh, and Viola? Before I forget would you pass on that I hope Charlotte feels better, it really wasn't the first time that happened to me I'm sad to say." Ash said looking at Viola, who gave him a smile in return.

"Then would you mind if I travel with you guys? I can make a choice after that Odyssey." Lilith said as she scratched her face.

"What about your journey Lilly?" Ash asked her as the others started to walk out of the gym, waving to Viola and her sister as they did so.

"Teacher wanted me to experience how people outside of home did contests, so even if I don't make it to the Grand Festival then I would have accomplished my goal here." Lilith said, causing Bonnie to smile brightly.

"The other girls and I planned to do a little shopping after the battle, want to come with us?" Nimue asked as they reached an intersection.

"Please Big Brother?" Bonnie asked Clemont with tears in her eyes, causing Clemont to sigh.

"I have to get my team to the Pokémon Center and then Clemont and I have to have a talk, but stay in spacious areas and around other people; they haven't bothered us since that second attack but keep an eye out." Ash said

"Be good Bonnie, have fun and listen to the others." Clemont as

"I will!" Bonnie said as the girls walked off. They never noticed two figures in cloaks watching them from on top of a building that after a few seconds started to follow the girls as they walked into town.

A limo pulled up the residence's outer gate and after it stopped a driver in a tuxedo got out and opened the door behind the driver's seat and offered his hand to the person inside. A white gloved hand grasped it and a girl with flowing blond hair in a white gown carrying a white purse with three Pokéballs on it stepped out of the limo. She nodded at the being that had driven her here and walked through the gate and looked around noting Maids and feline like creatures with purple flowers on their backs walking around. _So the old man got more Dolls to play with, didn't he? Those look like….of course he would get some of_ _ **those**_ _, I can't believe him sometimes. Is there no level he wouldn't sink to, I think a few of my 'special' jewels are needed for the party after all._ She let her thoughts rage as she kept her face a mask as she walked past the cats, a small use of Aura keeping her mind as serene as she kept her face expressionless as she walked towards the main building, the black haired figure of Orchid standing outside the mansion with two Maids standing there.

"Remember, the flowers are to be watered at 4 with the type 3 liquids, the Song Wings are to on top of the lamps by nightfall and my midnight I expect that that the final decorations are setup." Orchid declared before she noticed the woman walking towards the mansion. She straightened up and the two Maids turned and bowed to her as she soon as they saw her.

"Welcome home Lady Rodruss, shall I call your father?" Orchid questioned as Nudara walked past her. Orchid fell into step after her and followed her into the mansion.

"No, I'll talk to him at supper; tell me have all the guest who are coming sent there replies yet?" Nudara asked when she stopped before a staircase.

"Yes my lady, all of those invited are coming, while our own High Lord has declined the invitation, we have confermation of Lord Magnus and a plus one, the invitation for Miss Lilith has returned with a denial and gossip is that Lady Camilla sent her on a mission so…." Orchid stopped talking when Nudara slammed her hand on the railing turned with a hard look in her eyes.

"Let me rephrase my question, is **HE** coming here?" Nudara asked frostily. Orchid looked at her before a realization hit her as to who her lady was talking about and bowed to her.

"I have to report that we did not send him an invitation, but his sister did receive one and has sent a replay that she and a plus one would come, so I suppose that he will be coming." Orchid said as Nudara brought a hand to her forehead and started to rub it.

"With luck since Lady Lilith won't be here he'll leave once he's been here long enough to be polite. I'll come down for supper after I had a bath, the party is supposed to start tomorrow around four, right." Nudara said with an exasperated sigh. She walked up the stairs as she left, not staying to hear Orchid's replay. Orchid stayed where she was until Nudara was out of sight before she gained a scowl on her face as she walked outside. _That little brat! That pampered princess is such a pain to deal with. Like father like daughter. Of course giving how he acted when he tried to pursuer her I can't really blame her_. Orchid thought as she walked through the gardens as she watched the Homunculus move about. She sighed as memories of how he had acted in his pursuit of Lady Lilith that she had seen a few times she had been her Lord's plus one to a few parties. Perhaps she should go and double check the menu; maybe she should check the placements for the new golems. She moved off, not noting she was being watched from the window of Lord Rodruss's office.

Sadri Rodruss looked at his chief of staff as she moved through his courtyard before he moved back to his desk and sat down. He moved a few papers around and started to read, a feeling of anger as he looked over the data. That bitch pirate had raided yet another shipment; he had lost money since he wouldn't be able to make back what he paid for them now, this was so cutting into his bottom line, and that idiot Francisco had let her walk off with no single bit of trouble, she had walked off with them with no trouble. He had washed his hands with that ship and Francisco, he would hold the docking fees as long as it used his docks but that was it, and perhaps he should look into getting products overland, but long term benefits of getting his products from out of the country was…. He would have to look into other sources, perhaps that one… He paused as he looked over the guest list, and put his head in his hands when he saw one confirmation, of course his greatest rival would come to his party, he would look for any excuse to tweak his noise. Perhaps he should check if his daughter had returned yet, he was getting up when a chime sounded, bringing his attention to his computer as a message popped up. So the High Lord was going on a tour of the domain, perhaps he should head over the City of Scholars for her party, he could met a few of his more unique trading partners and check with his factor there. A buzz of his intercom jolted him from his thoughts and caused him to look up.

"Sir, one of your **clients** is on line two. They want to talk about the shipment." His secretary's voice came over the line, a note of fear in it. _Of course, giving what kind of cliental I have she's probably worried about ending up as part of a deal._

"Thank you, please transfer it and you can go for an early lunch." Sadri said as he picked up his phone. After a few seconds he heard a click and smiled.

"Hello…." He began before he was interrupted.

"I don't want pleasantries Rodruss, I want results! This is the second time one of my shipments with you has been hit, I want answers." A gruff voice barked at him

"And it is the tenth time she hit my vessels and I am no closer to finding her then I was before!" Sadri countered as he started to scowl.

"And why are you worried, you haven't paid for it yet!" Sadri commented in a hard voice.

"I already started to advertise a new show with a special surprise; I needed that shipment for it! If I have a show with the same old then I'll lose a lot of customers!" The voice snarled, prompting Sadri to rub his forehead as he leaned back before a viscous grin start to grow on his face as he leaned forward.

"Then how about I give you that special?" Sadri purred as he grinned.

"What do you have?" The voice asked with a hint of suspicion.

"I recently acquired a most impressive Homunculus, something about eight feet tall." Sadri said as he waited for a replay.

"How powerful is it?" The voice asked, causing Sadri to start to smile when he heard a note of interest in his voice.

"It has Dragon Breath." Sadri said with a smirk.

"Oh, that would be perfect for a show, yes, I can work with that. Mr. Rodruss thank you, and I will be at your party after all." The voice said.

"I'll show it to you then. I look forward…" Sadri stop talking when he heard the call end. He slammed the phone down and stood up in a huff and walked to the window.

"That old bastard! I can't wait to finish taking payment from that scum!" He snarled as he reached the window, his eyes finding Orchid as she ordered the Maids about. _Calm down, you've been infiltrating his origination for months now, a few months and you can take over. But I have to get this rage under control, perhaps Orchid could help me with my stress tonight, yes that sounds perfect._ With a smile he walked out of his office, looking for something to eat. Now if his daughter could only make a good impression on Lord Magnus then his gambit in the game would be underway.

"Put your back into to boyos, we've got to load this ship so it can sail at dawn!" A muscular man with brown skin and shaggy white hair called out as he carried a large crate onto a ship from a warehouse as the sun beat down overhead. Bahadur just smiled as he heard his father call out as he carried his own crate towards the ship. His father was one of the most important men in town, his shipping firm River Might was the second biggest group in the entire domain, and they had branches in most of the cities and were unique that his father refused to use Homunculus, preferring to use people, Pokémon and Golems instead.

Bahadur put the crate he was carrying down onto a pallet and wiped the sweet from his brow as he looked out over the river and frowned. A few days ago he had woken up to hear that a few members of the Maulers had been discovered beyond the town's limits drained of their Aura with wounds that were currently unidentified. People were scared; the mayor had ordered that no one leave the city limits and that only groups traveling in vehicles were to be allowed to travel outside of the city and imposed a curfew and only today had his father let him help out again. No one was using the term Devourer but most people were thinking it. There were rumors that it was caused by a Golem of all things but most people were thinking that a person in heavy armor had really done it, that the witness had only thought it was a Golem because of shock, but he didn't know how he felt about, the people who had been attacked had been looking for him, members of the Bloody Maulers. Since he lived in the other side of town from Aagha's place he hadn't seen any of them with the strict curfew but he figured at least some of them might try and make trouble sooner or later. He was knocked out of his thoughts when something bumped into him, causing him to turn and see his father walk by holding another crate as he moved towards to dock

"Keep it move boy, we want to be able to get home to your mother in time for sup." His father called over his shoulder. Bahadur slapped his face and moved back towards the warehouse, he would have some time to think about what had happened after he did his quota. Heading back towards where the crates were he never noticed a figure in a red cloak watching him from on top of a nearby roof. The figure chuckled as they moved back towards their comrades; the boss would love to know where Bahadur was.

Bahadur sighed as he sat in the shade as he stretched and looked over the river. He loved this this, peace and good days like this was just what made his life worth living, and then there was… he ducked his head as he thought of the kiss Ruchika had giving him the other day. She was his oldest friend, even before she had moved away and come back and put that idiot Aagha's in his place at that party a few weeks back. He started to chuckle as he remembered how she had thrown the Maulers who had come to get her because their master wanted to 'talk' to her.

"Good joke boy?" He heard causing him to look up and saw his father sitting down next to him, passing a bottle of water that he accepted with a nod before he drank from it.

"No, just remembering when Ruchika blew away those people a few weeks back." Bahadur said causing his father to laugh.

"I did hear a few things about that, now how about you tell me about when you were attacked by those people who were drained?" Bahadur stared at his father for a few seconds before he sighed and looked sheepish.

"So how'd you find out about it?" Bahadur said with a quite tone in his voice.

"I didn't, I watched you and I took a stab at it, so gonna tell me what set it off?" Sadiq asked, know the history that his son had with Aagha's gang.

"Nothing! I was just taking my partner around our part of town and when I reached the bridge to the challenge field on the west side of town they jumped me! If the gang hadn't backed me up…." Bahadur said with a scowl as he leaned back.

"How'd they know where to ambush you then?" Sadiq commented as he took in what his son was saying. _Aagha's might be stepping up his tactics, I know the rumors from that side of town, but they can't be true, the local Lord would have stomped them down before now._

"Not sure, but I have a few ideas about who told them, and I will have a few words to share with _him_." Bahadur snarled. He had figured out that the Rat had been involved and he couldn't wait to _talk_ to him. He was surprised when his father snorted and looked at him with a hard look.

"You'll handle that after a few more days have passed, I don't want you leaving area between our house and this place for a while yet. If you can find them in that area fine, if not you can wait a few days." Sadiq words caused Bahadur to stare at his father before he stood up with a scowl on his face.

"Oh come on dad!" Bahadur said, only to stop and stare at the fierce look on his father's face that showed turning into pain.

"Boyo, you weren't around when the last Devourer scare happened. It was mad; more people died from riots then were threatened in the first place. Your grandparents and new born aunt died too." Sadiq said as his eyes drew back into history as he closed his eyes, not noticing his son stiffening in shock.

"I had an Aunt?!" Bahadur said as he stared at his father.

"Your grandparents were childhood sweet hearts; they married as soon as they could and had your ma a year later. After a while they decided to have another child, that was a year before the scare, and she had been born a few days before the riots hit the town they were in, it was so bad that the funeral was of empty caskets. So please boyo, stay nearby for a few more days if only to humor your old man" Sadiq said as he locked eyes with his son. Bahadur just stared for a few seconds as his thoughts started to run wild. _I can't believe this, I just can't believe this. The guys have been saying that people are acting skittish around their homes, and I guess I can wait a while for a meeting with Rat._

"Fine dad, if only for you. I'll stay in the area and won't go looking for trouble." Bahadur said with a small smile on his face.

"Thank you, oh I almost forgot. Your friends and their family are coming over for dinner and they'll stay over for the night. And yes, it is due to the way people have been reacting." Sadiq said as he moved off, calling out to one of his workers as he did so.

Bahadur stood there and wonder followed after his father, his mind elsewhere. _So those two and their family are coming over for supper and would prefer not to walk about at night, is the town getting that bad? I always thought the Devourers were just a part of our history that we could leave in the past, but I guess the scars from them run a lot deeper than I ever knew._ He just sighed as he walked towards a pallet, ready to do what he needed to do.

Sadiq watched his son work with a small smile on his face. _That kid is something else, he had his first Pokémon for a few days now and he's still willing to listen to this old man's fears. I don't deserve a son like that sometimes. But those people drained, was it truly a Devourer, where could they have come from, who could it be? I have to trust in the Guard to discover or find evidence of where they went. A few more days, a weak at most and the curfew will most likely be lifted and things can get back to normal here on the frontier._

"Did you hear that the creatures that the others fought off had a leader?!"

"If Good Jacquelin hadn't set out that expedition then they would of overwhelmed the guards and they would have breached the castle, what happened to the lookouts?!"

"Our Queen is said to be putting a conference together to find a way to deal with them, we must trust her to handle it!"

"If the hunting group that was led by Good Sylvestre hadn't returned when they did and found the leader who knows what would have happened!"

"They weren't Chimera, a Scholar I talked to said they weren't sure what they were, what could they be?!"

The halls of team Gaia's castle were filled with members, each one talking about the recent attack the, each conversation causing those talking to grow more worried as time passed. Two people moved through the hall ways in cloaks as they dodged groups talking and people running every which way, trying to reach their destination without delay. Finally they reached a section of the without people around and quickly and quietly opened the door to Virgil workshop and walked in. The two figures saw Nicholas's, Dante, Sylvestre and Virgil standing around the room with their Pokemon out, Virgil was standing by a table with a dead Treeslasher on it cutting into it as the others looked on. Nicholas looked up to see the two people and started to get up when Sylvestre raised his hands and smiled at the two. Dante got up and walked towards one of the figures and swept them into a hug, the hood falling away to reveal a woman with long white hair and blue eyes who hugged him back.

"I was so worried about you Constance." Dante whispered as he clutched her to his body. Constance only laughed as she cried.

"I was fine Dante, I stayed inside near an exit and if I had to I would have fought my way out with Blissey and we would have found you. You were the one out there, I was sure you would have charged in if they breached the complex." Constance said as she held Dante.

"I've heard that our friend Jacquelin found them first on a night hunt, anything you can tell us about that?" Sylvestre asked as the two broke apart and the other figure was revealed to be Roial.

"After the match he had with you a few others started to gossip about him, it came to ahead when he came across Mathis in the halls. After a cutting remark by Jacquelin he disappeared for a while and somehow got out side with a new Grand Sword. He came back with his Pokémon carrying one of those, the type with the vine arms saying he had come across two of them on a hunt. He made a big noise about a threat and brought together an expedition to patrol the local area and they had barely moved into the trees when they staggered out and started to set up a battle line. If you hadn't come when you did the line would have broken, I know Mathis made a noise about setting up a second line and to evacuate the Queen." Roial said, causing Nicholas to whistle as he absorbed what she told them.

"So the Good Jacquelin has his own way out of the Castle? Good to know." Nicholas commented as he leaned against the wall of the room. Virgil snorted as he cut through another layer on the Woodman and mused out loud.

"I can remember that he's always been a snake, that he would have an escape tunnel out of here isn't so surprising to me. And this specimen you brought me, I have found no idea what it is. It has no veins to move nutrients to allow for it to function if it's a living creature, it has no way to recharge if it was a Golem and I'm at the end of my rope, this thing is imposable I can't even…Hello there, what have we here." Virgil said as he looked down. He had cut away enough to reveal a broken green crystal, the piece still releasing a pale green light. He looked at it as the others started to gather around the table.

"The crystal, do you think it's like the core of a golem?" Dante asked as he picked a piece up and looked at it. Virgil took the largest piece and walked towards a table with beakers full of liquids and dropped it in one full of a blue solution and watched as it started to dissolve and the liquid turned a pale green, nodding as he watched.

"It's organic, that much I can tell, but how it was formed I can't say. The energy it uses is Aura, Grass type to exact but I'm not sure how it was charged in the first place, and the others looking over these things are probably having the same problems I am." Virgil said as he sighed. His Kadabra and Metang both moved close to him and his Metang started hover near his head as his Kadabra hugged his left leg. Virgil just looked at them and rubbed their heads as he smiled as the others looked at each other. Nicholas just rubbed the back of his head and turned to look at the corpse and stared for a few seconds before he found his voice.

"Hey, guys. Wasn't that corpse…bigger than it is now?" Nicholas's question caused the others to turn and look at the corpse and stare as it started to decompose into dirt rapidly until only the shards of the green crystal were left. They stared in shock until Virgil started to mumble to himself as he turned slowly and looked at the beaker as a frown formed on his face.

"Even though the thing was _kilied_ it still held together until I removed the crystal, does it mean that it was repairing itself?" Virgil asked as he started to pale.

"But it died when you removed the largest piece of its _heart_? Then does that mean the others….Oh fucking Giratina! Come with me kid, Sylvestre tell the others what we figured out!" Dante called as he ran out of the room, Nicholas and their Pokémon on his heels.

Sylvestre looked at the door for a few minutes and turned to his brother.

"As soon as I'm out of here, put this place into lockdown! Get ready to fight your way out if I don't make it in time!" Sylvestre ordered as he ran out with Nuzleaf beside him.

"So these things can recover if their hearts are left in them?" Constance demanded as Virgil started to close up the room and prepare his siege protocols.

"I have no idea what these things are, but I really want to know where they come from so I can give the bastard who made them a kick in the nuts." Virgil muttered as he started to channel Aura into the wards he had created.

"Where are we going?!" Nicholas demanded as he ran after Dante, their Pokémon following behind him.

"They put all of them in a cavern we found when we claimed the mountain as our base! If those things can recover we have to destroy all that we can before they get out!" Dante called back as he led the way downwards.

"So the two of us against an army, nice. When did I join the Suicide squad again?" Nicholas asked as they charged deeper, people noticing them some of the Knights following them as they ran.

"I plan on having Haunter burn'em when we get there. We'll have to deal with the rest of the them. If I know Sylvestre he'll find Jacquelin or somebody important and have people sent to the other Scholars, we have to handle them." Dante said as they finally came to a large door with a guard who looked at them and went pale. Nicholas was surprised before he looked behind him and saw that they had drawn 8 Knights and 4 Squares with their run through the base, good they would help. Dante looked at them and marched towards the guard who looked nervously at him.

"Sir, this area is full of the corpse of the attackers; if you desire to investigate a specimen please contact the Chancellor." The guard said as he shook as he looked at the people before him.

"That's why I'm here lad; those things might not be dead." Dante said softly, but his words carried to everyone in the hallway, prompting the others to stare at him in shock as the guard paled. He turned the others behind him as they looked at each other before turning to him when he whistled.

"Right lads, here's what we know. The bodies have a crystal in them that's holding them together, the fact the bodies haven't broken down is evidence that the crystals still have power. If they have power they might be repairing themselves, we can't let a force attack from within the base, so we're going to handle this. I want everyone to cut away the crystals from the bodies, and remember what we want is at the opposite of where hearts are normally!" Dante barked as the guard opened the door, revealing a hallway full of doors. Dante looked at the view and turned to the guard who looked pale.

"So how many rooms are full?" Dante asked the guard who looked like he was about to faint.

Sylvestre ran upwards, hoping that his friends were in time. He rounded a corner when he saw Jacquelin with his Shiftry standing behind him as he argued with a guard.

"And I'm telling you I have to talk to the Queen! It's a matter of extreme urgency!" Jacquelin growled as his hand started to move towards his weapon.

"And the answer remains the same Sir. Only the Queen's orders will let me open these doors. I am sorry but…Sir Sylvestre?" The guard asked as soon as he saw Sylvestre running towards him. Jacquelin turned walked to him as soon as he saw Sylvestre/

"I'm guessing your brother found the same thing he did?" Jacquelin asked as he reached him.

"Yes, Dante went after the storage with the kid." Sylvestre said, causing Jacquelin to stare and go pale.

"By Arceus I never even thought of that. We have to tell the Queen what was found, we can't let this happen! An attack from within would destroy us!" Jacquelin said as he turned and glared at the guard. The guard looked at the two of them and slowly reached for a green jewel around his neck, touched it and started to speak softly, nodding when he removed his hand.

"The Queen has been notified that the two of you want to talk to her about what seems to be the same thing, and has decided to grant your audience before the meeting later today." The guard said as he hurried to open the doors. Sylvestre gestured for Jacquelin to go first, indicating that he would follow his lead. Jacquelin looked at him and nodded as the doors to the Queen's room opened and he walked in, Sylvestre and their Pokémon following their trainers.

As Sylvestre followed Jacquelin towards their Queen he looked about the room, noticing the number of Templars had tripled in since he had last been there. _Is this for the meeting or the reaction to the attack? Whatever this is worrying me for some reason I can't explain._ Sylvestre kept a frown off his face as he moved, not seeing that ahead of him, Jacquelin's eyes were going all over the room, taking in every detail he could. _That little brat actually increased her security! This is going to make it even harder to take over, I might have to count on those soldier things that idiot is making._ Jacquelin kept a smile on his face as he walked towards the Queen at the end of the room, stopping and joining Sylvestre in bowing to their ruler.

"Rise. The two of you discovered something that you feel that I should know about so please, what has caused two of my best to rush to me." The voice of the girl caused Jacquelin to look at her as he replied.

"My Queen, Good Sylvestre and I both discovered that the bodies only die when a crystal in is removed or destroyed. We fear that they might attack from within our defenses, that it might be the plan of whatever created these… things. As we speak Good Dante is leading a fellow to handle it and I am sure others went after them." Jacquelin said as he looked at the queen, noticing that she had stared at him for a minute before she went pale as she sat down.

"Chancellor; send some of our Templar to help out Good Dante, I want that room locked down, now." The Queen's voice rang out in a hard voice, the boom of the Templars spears on the floor the only signal that her will would be done. While Sylvestre smiled at the orders, Jacquelin kept his face neutral. _What is down there that the Queen wants to protect so much that she sends in the Templar? Perhaps after everything has died down I should investigate that area more closely._

Dante cursed as they finished his 2nd room. To think that there had been enough recovered to full twenty rooms, Dante couldn't believe that no one even tried to make some order, just throwing them in anywhere, no sense of order at all. He looked up as Nicholas walked out of a doorway and smiled when he saw the kid had led his group to finish another one. With the Knights and Squires that had followed them he had split them in two and just said to go and destroy or remove the crystals. Dante moved towards Nicholas and motioned to him to talk to him. When Nicholas joined him he looked down the hallway.

"I don't know if we're going be able to finish this before one of these things revives kid." Dante said to Nicholas bluntly as they looked down the hallway. Dante only answered with a scowl as he looked down the hallway.

"I know, but dam it we're almost halfway done, all we need to do is…" Suddenly three doors down a door exploded before two Treeslashers moved through the doorway and looked both down the corridor before they turned and saw Dante and the others. Two Treeblaster walked out of the door way before another Treeslasher followed them.

"So the shoe finally drops, hey, didn't the guard say the centaur was put somewhere in the middle?" Dante asked as the first two Treeslashers shot towards them as the Treeblasters started to fire over their fellows heads. Dante drew his sickles as the other Knights started to draw their own weapons and shields, Dante blocking one of them when the other tried to attack him when Nicholas sliced through its chest with a sword before turning and slicing through the left side of the Treeslasher locked with Dante's sickles. Dante looked at the basic blade and frowned.

"Still using the basics kid, never got an upgrade from a good smith?" Dante said as released his Haunter as Nicholas's Teddiursa used Protect to form a green shield between it and the Treeblasters shots. Dante looked at the others and saw most of them releasing their Pokémon and copying Teddiursa's action as they tried to move towards the Treeblasters.

"Never had a reason to….hello, are you the one who woke them up?" Nicholas said causing Dante to look and stare through the shield. The Treelord he had helped take down was back up and had changed its arms. On one side of its chest were two masses of vines and the other had a large thin branch with a cluster of heart crystals at the end [Revived Treelord]. It was followed by two more Treeslashers and another Treeblaster that joined its fellows in sending blasts down the corridor. He cursed as he saw the Revived Treelord move across to the other door. He turned and looked at the others, trying to find someone to send for help until he noticed

"That has to be it! That's why these things are up so fast! If we can't break through here I don't know if we can hold if that thing can bring back the others. YOU there, the one with the

Karrablast! Get out there and bring back help, sound the war call!" Dante hollered to a knight bring an injured Squire out of the line of fire as his Karrablast formed a solid blue wall between shots sent their way. The knight looked at him and nodded his helmeted head and started to carry the injured Squire back towards the doorway back into the base. Dante turned and noticed the centaur was disappearing into a doorway and the Treeslasher stood just outside it.

"We've got to get around these things and take that monster down! If it revives all of them…wait, only six of them came out the room with that thing. I think there might be a limit to the damage it repair. How many bodies were in the rooms you handled?" Dante demanded as they stood behind Teddiursa's shield as green blasts hit it.

"The remains were thrown all over, so maybe about twenty to thirty, it took so long because we had to find were the crystals were." Nicholas said as Dante took in the corridor. The three Treeblasters were standing apart in the middle of the hallway; far enough ahead of the Treeslasher and the room it was guarding to let it have a solid view of the corridor and reinforce any one of the three that needed it. Dante

"Range attacks around the Protects! Haunter, fire Will-O-Wisp at the central creature!" Dante roared. Haunter grinned and shot blue fireballs over the shield, joined by leaves and blasts of energy that hit the three Treeblasters, destroying the two near both sides of the hallway while the middle one had been driven to its knees as its and one of the fireballs had torn off the claw arm. Dante smiled before he noticed three Treegrabber and another Treeblaster charge out of the room, the Treeblaster joining the other one in firing blasts as the Treegrabbers ran at them. Dante cursed as he watched the creatures charge at them. _We've got to break this deadlock! We've got to get that…._ Dante's thoughts crashed when four figures in green plate armor wielding halberds jumped over his head and shot towards the Treegrabbers, dodging the vines and claws to slice through the chests of the creatures, cutting them in half in one strike each, the monster decomposing as the Templars passed them.

Dante stared until he felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to meet the faceplate of one of the Templar.

"Take the others and hold the entrance to this hallway, the Templar will handle this." A soft emotionless voice said as the figure walked past Dante and spun its halberd and shot towards its fellows.

"We can't just leave…." Nicholas began but was met with a hard look from Dante as he shook his head.

"Sorry kid, but you know as well as I do the Templar only act on the Queen's word, do you want to commit treason?" Dante said as he looked at the other people near the two of them and whistled, getting their attention.

"I want a good solid withdraw now! We're going to stand watch at the entrance far enough away from the door so we can hold it if those things get by the Templar, move!" Dante order as he watched the last Templar enter the room the Treeslasher had been guarding before they had destroyed it and frowned. _Why the hell are the Templar here, what are they protecting here?_ Dante's thoughts were inquisitive as he followed the others back to the door, Nicholas behind him looking towards the Templar, wondering why they looked familiar to him.

Inside the storage chamber the Templar who had talked to Dante looked and saw the other four Templar standing near a hole in the wall across form it. It walked towards them and looked inside the hole before turning to the others.

"You were able to stop it from waking the Sleepers?" It asked as it observed the hole. It recived a nod as the other Templar raised their weapons.

"Yes, but it was a near thing Captain, a few minutes more and one of them might have woken." One said as their halberds started to glow brown.

"Finish repairing the breach; make sure nothing could let anyone tell that something is behind the walls down here. And you, find out who decided to put them here, we need to make sure the Sleepers are secular." The Captain said as it turned and walked out of the room to report to its master that the Sleepers were safe. As the other Templar's weapons started to fire mud from their blades, a light from one of the blades lite up the room through the hole, revealing glowing crystals on pillars full of liquids with people in them.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Someone else mentioned the different view points and plot points so I'm going to say why I'm doing it this way, I have a climax that in mind for my story, I have and ending and this is the way towards that ending, in time each plot will merge together into what I think is going to be great but that's in book 3 and this is book 1. And sorry it took so long, I'm still job hunting and I think I have a line on one, and I'll try to finish the next chapter before months up, I have the next two chapters laid out, sorry its so late again

Bonnie laughed as she ran ahead towards the café, Serena following behind her as Lilith and Nimue followed behind them. Lilith looked over her shoulder for a second before she followed her…friends into the café. _If I was home I would be with my cousin or her trying to get away from that rich idiot waiting for a new mission or finding a Quest to do! But here I'm just out with friends and I don't have a care beyond hoping those Bug users don't come and make trouble! I have a sample to send home from Ash[At least I think it's from Ash] so a few days off to fix my cover and then the worry._

"Come on Lilly, you don't want to be left behind do you?" Nimue's voice caused Lilith to look up and saw Nimue and Serena standing by the door waiting for her. She shook her head and sent a smile towards them.

"Coming girls, just give me a second." She called out as she moved towards them. Above them a cloaked figure with two glowing eyes watched from on high.

"Taicho, how should we precede from here?" A voice behind it caused it to turn saw another cloaked figure. The first only looked at it for a few seconds before it turned back towards the girls.

"If he's involved with one of those girls then when we take them we have to be fast. I've already instructed two of ours to get all evidence of our origins out of that place. He will most likely attack and destroy them utterly. All that matters is that we receive the data on the facility holding our leaders. We watch and when there's a single moment we strike, take the blond and the black back to our client, our target is one of those two." The one in front said as he watched the girls sit at a table outside the café, each carrying a plate of food and a drink.

"That match was amazing, I've watch a few Pokémon battles over the years, but it was so different, it was so intense watching a Gym Battle live!" Nimue said as they sat down and put their food down. Bonnie and Serena smiled at her and Lilith smiled as well, but inside she was worried.

"Back home I've seen a few tournaments, but that was something." Lilith said as she smile masked her thoughts. _Nimue's hiding what she was feeling earlier, good. If I'm right about it then it might be like what's wrong with Lady Delia. But if they are responsible, how did she get away from them._

"So you said you went on your journey because of your teacher, right Lilith? And where's home?" Serena's question caused her to look up and saw the question on Serena's face. Lilith smirked and just sipped her drink

"Yeah, she taught me everything I know about training and living, but about where I'm from….As teacher would say. 'A Secret makes a Woman A Woman'." Lilith said as she grinned at her friends, to Bonnie puffing up her checks and the others started to chuckle.

"You'll tell us eventual through, right?" Serna said as she ate her food.

"Maybe, probably. But like I said "A Secret makes a Woman….'" Lilith began before Nimue interrupted her

"…A Woman', right? Man, she sounds like she has that woman of mystery thing going for her, hu?" Nimue said as she leaned back.

"She kinda does, she has this old group and she totally loves this old friend but she can't even see it. And she's very dependable, she always has been." Lilith said with a smile.

"So there's this boutique that has a dress that I think you'll love Serena, and it's near that fabric store that has what I need." Niumue said as they finished their food.

"A dress?" Serena said only to start to blush when she saw the look of mischief in Lilith's eyes.

"Yeah, I think _Ash_ would love to see you in it." Lilith said as she smirked, giggling with the others when Serena started to blush. Then Serena grinned at Lilith and a small grin formed on her face.

"What about you Lilly, didn't you see anything that _Clemont_ might like to see you in?" Serena asked and started to laugh when Lilith turned to the side.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Lilith said as the others started to laugh while Bonnie grinned.

Lilith frowned as she walked behind Bonnie and Serena as they talked with Nimue who was leading them towards the fabric store she wanted to shop at. Did she care about Clemont like that? She had only known him for a few days so why was she… Lilith stopped and her eyes went wide, _Aura Link_. _Could it be possible, I mean could it really be possible that he's mine?_ Lilith shook her head and walked after her friends. Serena looked over her shoulder and started to walk a bit slower until Lilith had caught up to her.

"You okay Lilly; I was just teasing you back there." Lilith looked up at Serena and smiled at her when she noticed Serena's look.

"Yeah, sorry but have you ever met someone that it seems like you've always known them?" Lilith said, but after the words left her mouth she said them. _Stupid, stupid, stupid! I don't want to think about what the seal's doing to her because it's blocking Ash!_

"Ash, I felt like that when I meet Ash. Mom had moved to Pallet town because some rabid fan of hers had raided our garbage and he was the first person to treat me like a normal person in a while. Pallet Town was great! Pr. Oak kept the paparazzi away from town and we had teleported to move so we were safe from that, by the time we moved to Kalos they still hadn't figured out where we moved. I was so nervous that mom sent me to a summer camp the Professor was running to meet the locals and that's when I meet him. Of course the next winter was the Siege and then we moved again when the Racing Circuit died." Serena said as she shook her head as she started to look sad.

Lilith shook her head as she mentally started to pull her hair. _Fuck! She did meet Ash and might have sparked a link then, but if she left her Aura's range then that might explain how she's sane! When I find out who did it to the prince I'm gonna kick 'em down under!_ Lilith sighed and stopped when she noticed something at the edge of her sight, a flash of green that caused her to walk faster, grabbing Serena's hand and pulling her along moving towards Bonnie and Nimue.

"Lilly, what's wrong? Is it them?" Serena asked as she looked around trying to find what had set Lilly off.

"Act natural. You have your naginata, right? I'm thinking we might need it. Why did I decide to have my team be given a full checkup today of all days?" Lilith moaned as she smiled as they caught up to the other two. Serena merely looked at her friend as she started to get scared.

"So there you two are! Anyway the shop I need to go to is up ahead, where's…." Nimue trailed off as she saw Lilith's eyes.

"Nimue, Bonnie act whatever you two do just act natural. Can that horn head of yours carry you, Bonnie and Serena away from here if we get to a river?" Lilith asked as soon as Nimue stopped speaking, her question causing Nimue to look at her and caused Nimue's eyes to grow hard. Bonnie meanwhile looked at Serena and started to grow worried as she saw the look of fear in Serena's eyes.

"One other person and maybe Bonnie, and that's a maybe. I've never trained her to carry a heavy load, and I usually travel by holding onto a tow cable from a ring on a harness. And I think there's a bridge over a river to the right, it comes out near the center." Nimue said with a smile on her face.

"Nimue get Bonnie to the Pokémon Center, Lilly and I'll make do and hold them off. Just get help if we can't get away." Serena said with a smile on her face.

"Serena…" Bonnie began before Lilith put her hand on Bonnie's shoulder and squeezed it.

"We'll be fine Bonnie, we just have to make sure you're okay. So the fabric store is ahead of us, over that bridge there right?" Lilith said with a tone that seemed absent minded as the group moved on.

"Yeah, sorry about going this way but there's supposed to be a sale and I need a bit of fabric for a new costume. And it's better to shop with people I can talk about it with." Nimue finished loudly as she led them towards a bridge. Lilith eyes went hard when she saw a few people wearing green jackets loitering around the opposite of the bridge. A quick glance around the area showed that that the a path between the buildings would lead away from the bridge and she spotted a few people in green jackets following them.

"When I say now jump into the river and get Bonnie away from here, Serena cover our back and I'll give you cover. Just get her to safety. Serena we'll head to the right through the back allies to get away" Lilith said softly as she smiled as they neared the bridge.

"NOW, RUN!" Lilith said as she drew her whip as she pushed Bonnie towards the river. She ran towards the bridges as the people in the green jackets looked towards them and started to react. Some of them drew out clubs or hammers and started to run at them, a couple of them hanged back and released a couple of Yanmas and a Beedrill that started to fire Silver Wind attacks at Nimue as she released her Samurott in the river, diving in after Bonnie who jumped ahead of her. Serena turned backwards and drew her spear and shot at the people behind them as she released her Fennekin.

"Fennekin, use Ember at any Bug type you can get a bead on!" At Serena's command her Fennekin started to fire Ember at any of the Bug Types in its range as Lilith's whip started to strike at anyone who tried to get over the bridge while Nimue and Bonnie jumped into the river, going under.

"Beedrill, Poison Sting on those bitches in the water!" Nimue had just swum up from under water when she ducked back down to dodge the white needles. She saw Bonnie nearby trying to move towards Samurott and swam to her, grabbing her in her arms and swimming towards her Pokémon. A cry caused her to look up and saw Lilith's whip hit the Beedrill a second before an Ember from Fennekin hit it, causing it to jolt backwards. Nimue swam to her Pokémon, putting Bonnie between her and it as grabbed onto the spikes on its helmet and pushed her and Bonnie's body close to Samurott's.

"Samurott get us out of here! Stay down Bonnie, we'll be safe soon." Nimue said as Samurott speed through the water, Nimue hanging onto Bonnie as they speed away, noting that Bonnie was barely moving. _The impact must have shocked her or she went in head first, hold on kid just hold on._

Lilith smirked when she saw Nimue's Samurott speed into the distance and her whip hit a ganger member above his eyes while Serena was holding her own against one wielding a large hammer. She moved towards her and slashed with her whip, scoring a hit on the ganger's head, running past him as she did.

"Come on, we gotta move!" Lilith called as she reached Serena who was looking at the gangers on the other side of the bridge.

"Hold on, Fennekin Ember on the bridge! Full burn!" Serena called out

"Fennekin!" Her Pokémon cried out as it breathed fire at the bridge, which swiftly caught fire as the gangers drew back, some of them calling to their Pokémon to fight the flames as the two girls ran off, Serena recalling her Pokémon as she did.

"You are evil girl!" Lilith said with a laugh as they ran through the alley. Serena merely giggled as she ran after Lililth, a smirk on her face.

"As my mother once told me, if you're running from someone, make it hard for them to follow." Serena said. Before they could move out of sight multiple glass balls hit the ground around them and they exploded into green dust that enveloped the girls. As soon as it hit them Lilith and Serena collapsed to the ground and two figures in dark cloaks landed around them as the dust dissipated. Lilith tried to get up as she tried to fight the spores and was able to see the

"Good advice, here's another. When hunting thinking prey, give them a way out so they run into your trap." The figure in front said as Lilith's vision grew dark as she lost consciousness, the last thing she saw was a pair of glowing eyes.

Nimue panted as Samurott staggered out of the river dragging her and Bonnie out of the river. She snarled silently as her thoughts raced. _We got away but the others, they might not have. I gotta keep Bonnie's spirits up until we reach the Center and get help._

"Told ya we'd be safe Bonnie. Bonnie? Bonnie!" Niumue cried as she turned Bonnie around and noticed a white needle piercing Bonnie's right shoulder. Looking at her Nimue saw that Bonnie was panting and seemed to be barely consciousness. _Fuck! That Poison Needle attack must have hit her! No wonder she didn't move, and here I thought she was shocked! Think Nim, think! The Center, their the people who deal with Pokémon related injuries out here and I don't know where the hospital is._ Nimue bent down and picked Bonnie up, running towards the Center with her Water typeguarding them.

Clemont looked up as Ash sat down at the table he had claimed to do some repair work on his backpack, he had put off that talk Ash wanted as long as he was able to from the look on Ash's face as he walked towards the table, Pikachu on his shoulder.

"So you want to have a talk with me?" Clemont asked as he polished some of his tools. Ash stayed silent for a few seconds as he looked around and Clemont noticed that they were far enough away from others that they wouldn't be overheard.

"More like I wanted to …." Ash began before Nimue's voice echoed from the front of the Center.

"Help! She need some Help!" Clemont looked towards the door in confusion. _The girls should be shopping but someone needs help… Bonnie! Lilly!_ Clemont shoot to his feet and ran towards the front, Ash following behind him as Pikachu raced ahead of them.

Clemont looked and saw Bonnie being loaded onto a stretcher as Nimue panted as her Samurott stood nearby, seeming to watch everyone moving closer. Clemont looked and started to grow pale when he realized that she was alone.

"Nimue, what happened to Bonnie? Where are Serena and Lilly?!" He demanded as soon as he and Ash reached her. Nimue looked soaked with water, dripping with water and a glance as Nurse Joy wheeled Bonnie away showed she was wet to. Nimue looked grim as she started to speak.

"Lilly noticed something was following us and had me lead us towards a river to get Bonnie out of there. Serena and Lilly stayed behind to cover us as I got Bonnie out of there, but one of the people who attacked us had a Beedrill it shot Poison Sting at us, one shot hit Bonnie and she's been unresponsive since. I realized what had happened and I got her here, since the Center was the only place I knew of to handle Pokémon related injuries…." She trailed off as she saw the look on Ash's face as he clenched his fists.

"Was it the people who attacked you before, the so called Buzz Lords." Ash demanded and looked around when as soon as he said their names the people who had been milling around went quit and most of them started to leave the area. Ash watched them leave and just shook his head with a scowl.

"I've dealt with gangs with reputations before but this is something else, anything from the native?" Ash asked as he turned his head to look at Clemont. Clemont looked conflicted for a few minutes as he looked where Bonnie had gone before he shook his head with a.

"My home, Lumiose City, is the place in Kalos that has melded the most with other regions so we're a little different _culturally_ from other parts of Kalos. I was born there and my dad told me to look out for myself when I went to another city, not to let anyone walk over me. I didn't know what he meant until I noticed that some students let others go ahead of them, take first pick and other things. I later learned that those people were descended from old nobility; a lot of places treat people like that based on how their ancestors were ruled. I'm guessing the leader is descended from whoever used to rule this city state during the war." Clemont said as Ash just looked at him, while Nimue merely shook her own head as she remembered her home and its own leaders. Ash turned and he put down his backpack and took his hat off and put it inside his bag, pulling out a battered looking black cloak that he threw over his body, raising the hood until a shadow covered his face, he then put his shield on his arm and put his sword into a scabbard he put over his right shoulder. He looked at the others and nodded to himself. _It's time to show the Kalos underworld that the Battler is here. That might bring a few bounty hunters after me and a few old foes, but I don't leave any of my friends behind, ever._

"I'm going to try and find the others, and no Clemont you can't come. I can move unseen a lot easier alone. Niumue where did you guys go after you left the gym?" Ash said as Pikachu jumped onto Ash's shoulder. Clemont spluttered for a few seconds before he steeled his eyes.

"Good luck Ash. I'll look after my sister, once I'm sure she'll be okay I'll wait for you, if you're not back in two hours I'm going to Officer Jenny!" Clemont declared. Ash merely nodded and looked at Nimue.

"Good, now Nimue, where were you when you were attacked?" Ash asked as Nimue looked at him. For a few seconds she saw some kind of form behind Ash, chains all over it.

A grey pokemon with four arms in armor with four gauntlets with gems glowing red led four Machoke clad in armor with swords and shields as they moved through the woods watching for anything that might threaten their charge, a Lucario with a collar with a diamond on the front that glowed purple. They were sent out by their leaders to meet the Poison pack and give them the missive. As they moved through the forest, animals and a few Pokemon would move out of their way, dashing for cover, hiding from the party as they moved, hoping that the Fighting Types were there to hunt for food. The Lucario dashed after the five Pokemon in front of it as its thoughts moved back towards the audience it had with its rulers before it left. It had to fulfill its master's orders in the _way_ they wanted. Lucario was so deep in thought it walked right into an arm barring its path. It looked up at the Machamp that was leading to see it gestured ahead.

"Machamp champ champ." At the words that the Machamp spoke the Lucario looked forward and saw that they had reached their destination, fence broking the way, a swamp just beyond it. Farther in the swamp was an large island at the center that had been a dumping ground for chemical waste until the pack they were looking for had moved in and drive off enough humans that they had set trainers on them. A few Grimers spawning from a pool had caused the trainers to fall back and two Ranger had been called in and been driven off had but after they had found the dump site and that had caused the humans set up a fence a few meters. Lucario looked at the fence and noticed signs on the fence; humans often put them on places where they didn't want others of their kind to travel through, nodding as its thoughts ran back to its orders. _If_ _the pack was strong enough to cause the humans to do this then my lord and lady were right. Their strength must either be theirs or dealt with._

"Champ, Machamp!" The Machamp's sharp order caused Lucario to look up and Lucario shook its head as two of the Machokes to move forwards and destroy a section of the fence, creating a path forward. Lucario nodded to Machamp and the Machamp gestured and the party move into the swamp. The four Machoks went first, Lucario following and Machamp bringing up the rear. As the party moved along the sides of the swamp they never noticed what looked like a log floating in the much seemed to stare at them before it went under the water and shot away from them. Lucario stopped and looked out over the swamp before it moved on shaking its head, not noticing the ripples where the _log_ had been.

Lucario swatted a fly or a mosquito away from it as the group moved through the swamp. They had been lucky enough to have found a raised path leading to smaller islands or abandoned structures that let them move towards their objective and so far they had been able to make good time. If Lucario had to guess they might run into territory markers in the next few minutes. It reached the end of the pathway they were on and walked on the deck of a platform that had railings at the edges overlooking the water. From the broken chairs, tables and abandoned building the humans had made this for a reason and as the four Machokes started to secure the site Lucario couldn't see Machamp and frowned, turning around it finally saw Machamp farther back on the path looking into the water with a frown on its face.

"Cario Luc!" Lucario cried out. The four Machokes stopped and looked back and saw the Machamp standing there. Lucario started to get mad as it was ignored, it was about to walkover when the Machamp shot it a look and gestured to the others to get ready to fight, causing Lucario to look at the water and the Machokes to start to move in front of Lucario as Machamp picked up a piece of rubble from the path and threw it at a floating log with enough force to cause the part of the log it hit to break off. Machamp stared as the log bobbed in the water and looked at the chunk torn from the log before it turned and moved. As it nodded at the others Lucario fell into step with it as the Machokes moved ahead of the.

"Lucario?" Lucario questioned in a low voice as they moved.

"Champ, Machamp." The answer Lucario received caused it to look at the water along the path and frown. A log had surfaced and seemed to be following them. Lucario looked over its shoulder and noticed other logs in the water that seemed to be moving parallel to the group and it felt its heart start to beat, were they Chimera? It noticed that the Machamp had coughed and made a few quick signs with its hands that caused each of the Machokes to nod and start to move towards the structure's railing. One of them pointed its sword at one of the logs and as it started to glow blue a pink tentacle shot towards the Machoke and wrapped around its arm! As the tentacle started to pull the Machoke towards the water one of the other Machokes grabbed the tangled Machoke around its waist and pulled as another of their comrades sliced through the tentacle with its sword. Lucario tried to move forward when suddenly Machamp grabbed it and threw it away from the railings as the Machokes started to move away from the railings fast as eight tentacles shot at the railings and suddenly the sound of things exiting the water fast sounded before five shapes hit the floor of the structure.

The creatures were reptilian with four shot limbs, their bodies ten feet long and low to the ground with two long tentacles just behind their front legs. Their faces had three eyes on the top of a long snout that was all mouth. Lucario noise twitched as the creatures smell reached it, they were _diseased_ , and these weren't Chimera and that maybe it all the more deadly.

"Machamp! Mac Champ Champ!" Machamp ordered as the creatures{[Mutagator]} started to move towards them, their tentacles striking the ground as they moved towards them. The Machokes held their shields up. As Lucario watched the Mutagator's started to cry and move closer to give their tentacles a closer target. As its soldiers fought back the Machamp commander looked around, trying to find a way out of this. Lucario meanwhile had jumped onto the roof of the building on the platform and noticed three more 'logs' moving towards them and noticed a larger wake moving in the water behind them. Turning around trying to find anything they could use to turn the tide Lucario saw a raised path that led deeper into the swamp away from the beasts, turning it saw the Machokes slash at the tentacles as the Mutagator moved closer and made a choice.

"Lucario! Cario Lucario!" It called down to the Machamp and when it looked up Lucario pointed beyond the four Mutagator, conveying that soon their enemies would have help and something even bigger was following them then Lucario pointed at the path behind the structure. Machamp merely gritted its teeth as it watched two of the Machokes kill one of the Mutagator and move onto the others. A yelp caused Lucario to look and stare as it saw one of the Mutagator in midair, three black tentacles around its body that was pulled towards the gapping mouth of a giant fish with a snakelike lower body and a crazed look in its eyes. Lucario noted a smaller wake speeding off into the swamp and cursed as black tentacles started to grab the railing.

"MACHAMP, MACHAMP!" Machamp screamed as it gestured to the Machokes to follow it as Lucario jumped form the building onto the pathway. As the other three Mutagators tried to follow the Pokémon the building started to give way. As the structure started to come apart tentacles grabbed The Machokes jumped onto the path as the structure gave way, Machamp brought its hands into a sphere and started to form an energy sphere that grew as it moved its hands apart while Lucario cupped its hands and the gem on its collar started to glow as a purple energy sphere formed. As the fish creature finished eating the Mutagators and looked towards the group Machamp fired the sphere as Lucario shot the purple sphere at the water around the creature, freezing it in place before the blast from Machamp hit the creature and blew it apart, chunks of it raining around the frozen water. Lucario watched as wakes in the water speed away from them and turned to the Machokes only to notice that they had gone still. Lucario turned and saw members of the pack they had been sent to find looking at them, four purple snake Pokémon behind two larger ones with hoods. Lucario looked at them and clasped its hands together and bowed to them.

Deadeye grinned as it watched its seven followers as it led them towards the forest. Since it had secretly gained the power from that creature that held that sharp thing it had led five of its siblings on hunts and it had decided to attack the forest. No other groups had returned from that the area from what it had heard from the others and with the addition of the one with the oversized arm[ Brute] and the clawed one [Clawer] it decided that it could try that place. Deadeye grunted as the other five started to slow down but Brute and Clawer kept pace with Deadeye, causing Deadeye to grin as it saw that it was right to 'recruit' those two. As they passed the outlining trees Deadeye grinned as it saw deer and rabbits with more of the bug creatures here and there in a clearing with a small pond. Deadeye looked at its followers and gestured for them to take up positions in the shadows around the clearing one and waiting for one of the animals to move closer before it jumped onto the back of a deer and broke its neck with a savage crack. The noise caused the others to look at Deadeye getting off the dead animal and everything in the clearing bolted, two of the deer running into four of the Goblins while Clawer shot from a tree it had climbed at a purple Bug creature with wings and brought it down and slashed at into its head. Two green Bugs with bright red antenna tried to get away when they ran into Brute with the last Goblin grabbing and killing them. Deadeye looked towards the pond and upon noticing a fish jumping at an insect it grinned and walked towards the pond while dragging its kill with the others following, none of them noticing an insectoid creature with a light purple body flying away from the clearing with tears in its eyes.

The Venomoth flew through the forest, dodging trees as it tried to reach its leaders as fast as it could. The Goblins had struck without warring and it had to tell its leader what had happened. It finally reached its destination, a cave set against a two story hill that had two fang-like rocks in front of the mouth. Around the cave mouth six Pinsir stood guard as a steady stream of red dragonfly Pokémon carrying either fruit or fish wrapped in silk. One of the Pinsir noticed Venomoth flying towards the group and motioned to its fellows.

"Pinsir!" The Pinsir that noticed cried as it brought one of its hands up facing the Venomoth. Venomoth hovered and Pinsir was taking aback by the way it looked at it.

"Venomoth! Venom moth venom!" Venomoth chatted at the Pinsir who looked at each other before one of them nodded at the Bug-type and led it into the cave. As they moved deeper into the cave they passed other Pokémon moving about. The two of them finally reached an opening to an inner chamber guarded by three ape-like Pokémon with bodies of red, blue and green. The Pinsir merely nodded and the two were let in. They entered a large chamber with a rock pillar reaching the ceiling, two tiny white Pokémon holding onto two flowers, one blue the other black as the flowers move about the a space in front of a tall feminine Pokémon with a white face, a green lower body resembles a mermaid's tail with two large leaves blooming on either side of the flukes and a large bouquet of ornate blue flowers around its head was watching as the two white Pokémon spared with each other. Pinsir and Venomoth stayed where they were until the feminine Pokémon called a halt to the sparing and gestured for them to come to it. Pinsir walked forward and went to a knee while Venomoth hovered next to Pinsir and bowed its head. The two tiny Pokémon moved to hover by the larger feminine Pokémon as she regarded the two Bug Types.

"Florges, florges flor?" Florges asked as it noticed at Venomoth had been crying tears. Venomoth hovered before it started to speak.

"Venomoth, venom moth venom venom." Venomoth said as it lowered its head. Florges looked down at the Buy type before a hard look came to her face. Chimera attacked her domain?! That Mountain Ogre dared to send a hunting group at **her** lands?! She turned towards the Pinsir kneeling before her and barked a command at it. As it looked up she began to tell it what to do.

Deadeye laughed as he looked over just what he had gathered, three horned animals, two of the bug creatures and from the pond a large fish creature with a horn and a white water creature. It would have to come back with a larger group, this place had such food to gather and that wasn't even taking in to account the humans or plants they could gather, for once its sire might have given good advice. A rustling in the bushes at the edge of its vision brought a smile to its face, more food. Brute and Clawer moved towards the bushes with grins on their faces when suddenly a rain of white needles shot at them at them from above! Deadeye stood as it watched 10 Pinsir charge into the clearing and noticed at least 20 Beedrills hovering behind trees farther back.

"Ragil!" Deadeye barked to the other five as it ran towards Brute and Clawer. The other five started to grab what they could of their kills and ran as Deadeye looked at the creatures before it. It noticed that that Clawer looked like it had been poisoned, and with the way it was backing away Brute was stunned by the how they were attacked so fast, perhaps it could use that to gain their loyalty.

Deadeye charged towards the Pinsir and picked up a stray branch and started swinging at the Pinisr when it passed Brute and Clawer. It roared at the two and Brute snapped back to its senses and grabbed Clawer and ran in a different direction then the others had run, perfect. Deadeye looked at the Pinsir in front and let the organs in its arms release the electricity as they charged at each other. Pinsir's skin flashed a white pulse and raised its right arm and broke the branch as it struck Pinsir's arm. Pinsir's arms glowed white and it struck Deadeye quickly muiltiple times, pushing back Deadeye to the edge of the clearing. Deadeye looked up and saw that the others in its party had retreated with half the kills, and the Beedrill had moved above the rest and knew it had to leave if it wanted to live, but it looked at the Pinsir and sniffed deeply, it would remember the scent of this one, and Deadeye would have revenge. It punched a tree to the left and ran backwards as the tree fell, cutting off the Pinsir from following as it ran after Brute and Clawer, it had to find them, there was a way to get them under its banner and against their sire.

Pinsir looked at the fallen tree and jumped on it and saw Deadeye moving too fast for them to catch it and shook its head. They had thrown back the Chimera but hadn't killed any of them, they might be back. From where it stood Pinsir gestured toward the remaining kills and pointed towards the branches on the ground, they would burn the remains and hopefully the Chimera wouldn't be back for a while.

Florges sat at the mouth of the cave and worried for the future. Her daughters had finished the Final Battle and soon one of them would be leaving her. This forest had gone through so many changes, ever since that Ogre in the mountains and those strange humans had started to prowl around the outskirts of the forest she had known sooner or later something would have to give and the balance would topple, but that didn't account for those two and their forces. They would have to get stronger and gather the other groups in the forest to survive if the Ogre was some sending its forces out again, if what had happened when she was younger was happening again then the only way for them to survive would be to join together, only then would they be able to defend their home. She looked up when she heard noises and saw the party she had sent and was startled when she saw the Pinsir leader come back with a proud look on its face and smiled when it nodded at her, Florges nodded back, perhaps they would survive here after all.

Lucario walked after the Poison Pokémon as they led them through the swamp. The presence of those…diseased things were a good omen, it could use that as a plus to get them to follow its leaders, that would please its masters. As they moved through the swamp they started to pass dead trees and water that had started to gain a dead smell. At the edge of its vision Lucario saw what looked like amorphous purple blobs moving, if this was their territory then the offer to serve might be better received then it thought when it received its assignment. Lucario looked up when he heard mutterings that didn't sound like the snake like Pokémon and saw more of the snakes and floating purple balls with faces and muiltiple geyser-like protrusions while larger spheres with identical features pulse a smaller sphere with eyes and a mouth attached to the larger sphere connected by a thin tube floated here and there over the water, some watching the party others looking out into the swamp. At the end of the path they had followed was the island they had been looking for, and more of the spheres and snakes Pokémon were watching the party approach Machamp fought to keep its arms down as it noticed the kill zone they had walked into, why did that stupid Lucario agree to come and meet the pack's leaders?! This was just asking to be killed and eaten; giving the swamp's condition they had to represent a good meal.

"ARBOK!" A cry caused Machamp to look ahead and this caused it to signal to the others to silently get ready; here were the pack's leaders. Two powerful looking Pokémon, an Arbok and a Wheezing stood on a hill before them. Machamp looked and saw other Arboks and Wheezings standing or herding younger looking Ekans and Koffings away as the two leaders watched Lucario walk forwards and bow to them.

"Lucario, Lucario cario." Lucario greeted the two Pokémon. They looked at the party before them and Wheezing tilted forward.

"Wheezing wheeze zing?" Wheezing questioned as the Pokémon around them started to conversion to themselves. Lucario hid a smile as it heard the mutterings around it, there was no way that it could fail.

Lucario, the Machokes and Machamp walked out of the hole they had made earlier and Lucario just starred in shock, so out of it that Machamp had to lead it by holding one of its paws. The pack was leaving, the territory was so dead that the pack had voted to move on and split up into family lines to survive. They had actually come when they were splitting and the leaders, the ones the Lady wanted most of all were going to find their old trainers, a few migrates said they saw two humans who looked like them. And worst of all none of the smaller packs had opted to journey back to follow the Lord and Lady, and Lucario worried what that would mean to its masters. Lucario looked around, hoping to find a chance to slip away, it had seen what happened to those who failed the masters for all they acted where others could see them, it didn't want to be the next one to 'leave in shame', let the others take the blame. Then all he had to do was out run the _Slayers_ ,maybe find a trainer.

"Arbok." The voice caused Lucario to look up and saw an Arbok lead three other Arbok and ten Ekans after it towards them. Once it reached them they bowed deeply to Lucario who fought back tears, it seemed on family line had decided to throw in with Lucario's masters. Now all it had to do was get them back to base and mission accomplished, nothing could go wrong now!

Protector smiled as it sat up the tree and watched as the others gathered Berries and fish from around the river bed. It watched with pride as Gazer showed Weakling how to spear fish and how excited it was when it speared one. It looked like bring Weakling into the pack was a good thing, and while it was weak, there was something about its energy that made Protector look at it and how it acted proved it was a fit for their pack. All Protector had to do now was find a few creatures to bring back to their sire, it couldn't let Deadeye prove superior, then the others might look to it to emulate and if that happened! Protector rubbed its scare and promised that this time it would prove better. Protector turned its head as it felt something from across the river and moved down the tree, banging on it as he went. Five small gray skinned creatures in armor charge from the other side and suddenly a knife that hits Gazer in the chest before Protector could reach them. Gazer's right hand went to the knife and clasped it before it crumpled to the ground.

Protector went still before a snarl formed on its face as the other four goblins with them charged at the creatures before Protector charged and passed them; roaring as it jumped at the creatures, determined that it would lose no one else. Protector hit the one who had thrown the knife and slashed downward with a claw strike that left glowing trail as it slashed through the air. Protector's slash caused blood to rush from the deep cuts as the Machop feel to the ground bleeding out as Protector released a roar and charged at another one before something hit Protector's body and sent it flying through the air for a good five feet before it hit the ground and rolled back upright. The figure standing in front of it was a large grey creature wearing armor and holding a metal stick with a ball on the end in its right arm and the left one was empty. This was the one that threw the knife and it was grinning; a smug grin that showed Protector that this was giving that thing pleasure. Protector flexed its hands with a growl and its claws started to glow blue, sparing a glance at the others it noticed that they were holding their own with their makeshift spears and turned all its attention to the four armed one and charged, hoping to take it out before it killed anymore of its fellows.

Weakling tried to help Gazer, crying tears from all its eyes as it tried to slow the blood from the wound after it removed the knife. As it watched it looked over its short life and how Gazer had shown it how to fish, how Protector had giving it food and how proud Gazer looked when it killed its first fish and the look Gazer had when it realized it was _hurt_. Would that be the last memory they had together? There had to be something it could do, there just had to be some way to _heal_ Gazer! Suddenly Weakling felt something and looked down and saw that its arms were glowing pink, pink energy was flowing from its hands to Gazer and _Gazer's wound was closing_! Trying to keep what it felt going, Weakling kept pouring on the energy and soon Gazer opened its eyes and looked at {[Healer]} and looking at the battle Protector was having and scowled and picked up the knife.

Protector had been able to dodge the blows the Machoke was throwing at it and noticed the others had killed some of the smaller ones and were helping those who hadn't and lucky enough the bigger one hadn't noticed yet. All it had to do…. Suddenly the Machoke stopped and looked around, gaining a scowl when it noticed the way the ambush had gone for its side and suddenly raised its right leg and slammed it down, causing the area to suddenly shake as it brought its leg down again and again until Protector stumbled and fell. Looking up Protector was terrified to find the Machoke swinging its arms back to slam both maces into it. It had lost, it wouldn't be able to save its fellows, but hopefully while it finished Protector then the others could escape from it. Protector gritted its teeth to meet its end with dignity when suddenly something hit the Machoke's back and a knife was plunged into its left arm. It dropped its weapon and it started to twist and buck and finally it threw a goblin off its back, revealing it to be a healed Gazer!

Protector stared for a second before it got back up and noticed the others had finished their opponents and that Gazer had grabbed the mace and was looking at the Machoke with a scowl as it looked around, noticed that it wasn't in the best shape to continue the fight and raised its foot again, then it dashed into the woods when the Goblins braced themselves for an Earthquake that never came.

Protector looked into the woods for a few minutes before it turned and swept Gazer into a hug. Gazer just patted Protector's back until Protector looked at the wound and its wondering eyes followed Gazer's sight, turning Protector saw Healer putting a pink glowing hand on a hurt Goblin. Protector watched with shock as Healer helped the hurt Goblin and its wound started to heal.

The Machoke cursed as it ran through the woods, that mission had ended in total failure! This vengeance mission had failed, its top right arm dead, the team it had been leading were dead, and it looked like it would join them when its Lady found out what its leadership had caused! It had to find something to prove its worth, there had to be something that would let it live. It stopped when it heard a branch snap and saw two unusual looking Goblins crossing a clearing ahead of it, one of them had a larger arm then its other and the other one had prominent claws that looked like it was sick. This was going to be easy, and bringing back the corpses of such might save its skin.

Brute snarled as it watched Clawer move with a dazed look on its face. That hunt was nothing more for that old one to see how strong the forces there were! That damned old one had used them as bait to draw out the forces of that place. Thankfully the one who had lead the group had stayed and let them escape from the battle, if it was still alive then that one would…. Suddenly something flew through the air and hit Brute in the head, causing it to fall to the ground. It fought to stay awake and looked towards the direction the hit had come from and saw a grey creature with a limp right arm and a savage grin on its face as it walked towards them. Clawer moved forward shakily as it raised its arms to defend the one who got it away from the ambush in the forest. The grey creature started to chuckle when Clawer stumbled towards it and when Clawer shot one of its arms at Machoke it grabbed its wrist, picked it up and threw it at Brute who was trying to get up. As Brute groaned under Clawer it saw the Machoke walked closer, snickering as it did. Just when it was about to strike at the two of them, something jumped over the two Goblins and kicked the Machoke away, it was Deadeye.

Deadeye looked at the two on the ground and threw a purple-pink berry at Clawer which bounced off its head. Clawer looked at the berry and realized it's sent carried a hint of _cure_ , this would help heal it. Clawer looked at Deadeye's back and felt tears from its eyes as it realized that Deadeye had gone out of it way to find them and to find a way to cure it. Deadeye smirked when it heard the tears, with this Clawer was further under its power. Deadeye looked at the Machoke and smirked when it saw that one of its arms was damaged, this might be easier then it thought. Machoke snarled as it watched its opponent and charged, sending a devastating left hook at Deadeye who dodged it and put its left arm on Machoke and released a powerful electrical shock that sent Machoke to its knees as it tried to fight as its muscles clenched up! Before it could do more than glare at it Deadeye sliced through its neck with its right claw.

Machoke collapsed as its left hand went to its neck as it bleed out before the light left its eyes. Deadeye looked over its kill and turned towards Clawer and Brute. It looked over them and turned to its kill it puffed out its checks and spat a large amount of a black liquid onto the corpse. It tor the legs away from the body before throwing the chest towards Brute while it throw the legs towards Clawer.

"Wrogli." It said as Brute and Clawer started to slobber as it looked and with that word they leapt onto the meat, each biting and tearing at their feast. As soon as the first bite passed its lips Brute staggered backwards as a burning swept through its body as it saw a phantom image of what it had eaten, it _looked_ and _saw_ muscles, additional limbs, a left arm the same size as its right and a punch covered in fire and a poison spit. It felt that it could only chose two and it chose the left arm and the muscles. As the burning swept through its body its left arm started to glow black as did two points on its lower sides. Its left arm grew to match its right and the glow stopped when both arms were the same size. Brute's muscles all over its body seemed to have changed while staying the same. Brute started to throw multiple punches and smiled, it didn't even feel the least bit tired.

Clawer meanwhile chose the shaking and muscles and as the burn stopped it looked at a tree and slammed its left leg down and laughed when the shaking caused the tree to fall. Deadeye looked at them and smiled, with this it had them, once they understood what Deadeye had done they would know that their Sire had lied about everything it had told them.

Brock just sighed as he finished setting up the tents. Yuji and Kunz had been gone to long for his taste; they had to have found something. And he was worried that Yuji might let the suspicions he had about Kunz and Agalia keep them from working together if their attacked. He looked up as his Steelix looked at him and trilled.

"I'm alright partner, just worried about the others. They should have been back by now." Brock said as he rubbed Steelix's jaw.

"They be back when they'll back. Kunz isn't one who would be taken out without us knowing about it." Agalia voice caused Brock to turn and look at her before he sighed. Since Yuji had told Brock about his brother and the policy, he had been keeping an eye on the other two and he had more questions then he thought he would.

"With the way that pack reacted I'm still worried. We have to find what is happening on this mountain and then we have to get home safe." Brock said and he hid a frown as he noticed Agalia fists tighten for a few seconds. _So Yuji might have been right about them. They do have another reason for being up here. I can't tell what it is but I have to trust that they'll fight with us against the Chimera!_ Brock kept his face blank as he turned towards the campsite and started to walk towards the fire, deciding to let his mind wander as he cooked dinner.

Agalia looked at Brock and turned away from him, a frown forming as soon as she was sure he couldn't see her face. _What is taking that simple minded idiot so long! Do a quick search with the other idiot and then come back here! What's taking so long…. Wait what's that!_ Agalia whipped her head towards the right and flinched as she sensed a powerful Aura moving towards them. She looked towards the direction where what she sensed was coming from and then quickly looked towards Brock, nodding when she saw his back was towards her. _He didn't notice, good. I don't know what's coming towards us but if I position myself so he's facing the brunt of it then then I might be able to deal with him if I have to when it's done._ Agalia thought to herself as she moved towards the other side of the camp.

Brock looked behind him as he heard Agalia move about camp and turned back when he saw her moving towards the left side of the camp. He shrugged and turned back to fire and soup he was making and looked at the supplies they had brought and started to try and work out how long he could stretch them. He had expected to be able to find some food up here in the wilds but so far the pickings had been slim to none, whatever was active up here was very hungry. A _nd that's not even counting how damaged the eco system is up here, that Paras pack had to be moved because of how scarce the food was for them._ Brock thought with a scowl as he looked over the mountain. He would have to send a report to the Rangers after he returned, they would need to do a full survey of the mountains to see just what would need to be done to get this area back in order. He didn't want to think about how hard that would be but the effort would have to be done before the before something happened to destroy the path to Indigo Plateau.

"You know for being the capital of the Kanto League, it sure is hard to get there on foot. And if the land lines are destroyed." Brock muttered to himself as he finished get the soup ready to boil. A sudden motion from his Steelix caused him to look up and notice it was staring into the distance to the right and he slowly reached for his other two Pokéballs. He caught Steelix's eyes and swore when he realized what it had seen.

"Croagunk, Swampert, time to fight Chimera! Agalia! Thery'e coming!" Brock called out as he threw the balls, releasing a dark blue, bipedal frog like Pokémon and a cobalt-blue quadruped with two fan-like black fins on its head and a black fan-like tail fin. Agalia released a quadruped, leonine like Pokémon with a blazing mane that stood protective in front of her as she readied two swords.

Brock rushed to his bag and pulled out his two hammers and readied himself for battle as he prepared himself. As trees and bushes at the edge of his vision stated to move he greeted his teeth and cursed that there were only two people here.

"Croagunk, Swampert, no limits, use your best judgments and stay alive! Steelix, hand back and go pure range but strike if you have to! Agalia, watch out!" Brock was able to get out before 2 Alphas came charging at them leading 20 Warriors, it was all Brock could do to notice what they looked like before he started to swing his hammers at two of the Soldiers that came at him, breaking the head of one while the other dodged his strike.

Agalia started to strike at anything that came at her as her Pyroar started to breath fire at the Chimera, killing two of them in one blast as his trainer sliced the head of another one before she dodged a large energy needle that one of the Captains fired at her. She looked at them and noticed that one was looking at her and the other was looking at Brock, and with a start she realized that the two were direction the other Chimera.

"Brock, the two with the horns, their the leaders!" Agalia called out before she parried one of the stingers of a Soldier. Brock slammed one of his hammers and broke the stinger limb of the Soldier that had dodged his earlier strike and notice that Croagunk and Swampert had dealt with 2 of the Chimera and were on watch for the next one that would try to kill them. Steelix had been firing green blasts over the heads of the others and Brock had a few seconds so he followed the beam's path and saw another 5 Soldiers, wounded but moving towards the battle. He looked around at what the Chimera were doing and let his experience decide what actions to take.

"Steelix, keep it up! Croagunk and Swampert, target the horned ones!" Brock called out as he slammed a hammer down on the Soldier with the broken limb. Agalia smirked as Pyroar slashed at another Soldier as she slice off one Soldier's right arm just behind the stinger. She watched Brock charge a grouping of four Soldiers as she caught her breath. _Hmm. Maybe I should bring Rock boy back for recruitment, it would do to have a doctor in the gang and he is easy on the eyes._ She thought before a charge of one of the Soldiers facing her forced her to dodge and take her eyes off Brock as she fought to stay alive.

Croagunk charged ahead of Swampert and tackled the Captain that was observing Agalia and jumped backwards; dodging the limb it sent backwards at it turned to face Croagunk. Swampert blasted a stream of water at the other Captain and sent it backwards into a tree then it fell to the ground. Swampert snarled at it as the Water type stared the Chimera down as it got back to its feet. Croagunk dodged the glowing horn of its opponent and shot multiple purple darts from its mouth as, each hitting the Captain as it tried to defend against the attack, raising its stingers trying to block the needles. Croagunk used the time when the Captain lost sight from raising its stingers to move right next to its head and delivered a savage jab with a purple covered hand, breaking the Captain's head and pulling its hand away from the Captain's head, Croakunk's hand dripping with black blood as it turned and looked towards the battle and noticed that the Chimera attacking Agalia had lost their cohesion, fighting as wild animals. An explosion suddenly sent Croagunk flying! Swampert saw the remains of the Captain that Croagunk killed was the source and started to move backwards, firing a stream of dark brown mud that pushed the Captain back. Croagunk weakly started to move when it noticed three Soldiers about to kill it, it looked at Brock who was staring against and smiled a weak smile at its trainer.

"Croakunk, NO!" Brock cried stared at what was about to happen and felt something give within him as he suddenly felt stronger. He started to glow brown, causing Agalia to stare before she hardened her eyes. Feeling something, not even noticing he was glowing he slammed one of his hammers into the ground, and suddenly three pointed rock pillars pierced the three Soldiers. Brock stared at what he had done looking at his hammer then at the three pillars. _Did I do that? I know about Aura because of what happened in the Kingdom but this is beyond what Ash's did._

Agalia absent mindedly sliced the head off a Soldier as her Pyroar bit through the neck of another one as she kept her eyes locked on Brock. _He woke his Aura, now I have to kill him! We can't let the knowledge free. Too bad, he coulda been something in the Order._ She thought as she killed two more of the Chimera with quick strikes. A Soldier charged at Swampert and forced it to stop firing at the Captain, paying attention to the Chimera attacking it, wincing when the stingers hit. The last Captain standing shook itself and suddenly gave a shrill cry that echoed over the battlefield. Brock stumbled and when he looked up he noticed the bumps on the remaining Soldiers body start to glow and with horror he noticed they were looking at Swampert.

"Swampert, Protect!" Brock called as he reached down and helped "back to its feet. Swampert formed a green half circle around it and started to tank the white energy darts that the other soldiers fired at it, winching when the Captain stared to fire large energy needles at the shield. As cracks started to form Brock looked about and noticed that the Chimera had stopped attacking Agalia and were attacking him and his Pokémon and quickly looked at the last Captain, noticing that it had its attention on them.

"Croakunk, I need you to handle that one, I'll try and get the others attacking Swampert." Brock said softly as he gripped his hammers tightly. Croagunk looked at the Captain and nodded before it lunged at the Captain, forcing it to direct its attention at it as Brock charged the other Chimera as Pyroar started to fire blasts of fire at the other Chimera as the Protect shattered, causing Swampert to be blasted by at least 20 energy needles.

Brock snarled as he killed another Soldier as he looked heard Swampert whimper softly as it stood back up diffidently as it looked from Croagunk to Brock before it barreled into a Chimera lining up a stab at Brock, slamming its fists into the body of the Chimera, forming cracks with each hit. The Captain gave a fierce whistle and suddenly the other Soldiers turned their heads at Brock and fired streams of silk that quickly covered his arms and body, sending him to the ground just before Croagunk kicked upwards and snapped its neck, picking up the body and throwing it at the other Chimera, killing three of them when it exploded. The other two Chimera looked down at Brock but before they could do anything Steelix was there, slamming its body down onto the Chimera, splattering Brock with their black blood as it raised its body, dripping with parts of the dead Chimera while Swampert threw the body of what it had just killed to the side. The three remaining Chimera turned and ran, leaving the battlefield as their opponents watched. Brock suddenly felt so tired he could barely move as his Pokémon started to surround him and give off soft cries.

"You can't move can you?" Agalia asked from his left as Brock strained the webbing holding him. He looked up and was able to take stock of his team condition and gave a bitter laugh.

"No I can't and these guys might be on their last legs, it's a good thing the survivors fled when they did, I don't think they could hold off another attack. We might not have found the source but bring" Brock said bitterly.

"No they won't. Pyroar, Incinerate on the Steelix and then handle the others!" Agalia cried out to Brock's shock before Pyroar shot a beam of black, red, orange and yellow fire that hit Steelix, causing it to cry out as it fainted before the Pyroar tackled Swampert into Croagunk, using one to knock out the other.

"So I was right, you aren't League Hunters." Brock said as he turned his head to glare at Agalia as she spun her swords around.

"Yep, sorry about this Dr., it's too bad really; you might've gone far in the organization. But then you had to wake up your Aura, and that sealed your fate." Agalia said as she moved to stand before Brock.

"My Team?" Brock asked as he desperately tried to get any bit of energy. _How am I so weak? Just what is affecting my body so much?_ Brock thought as he tried to break the webbing.

"I'm sorry to say they will have to be victums of the same Chimera that got you; it just doesn't flow right without that." Agalia said as she raised one of her blades. Suddenly a shot rang out as her blade broke half down from the tip.

"Infernape, Lucario, Close Combat on the Pyroar! Cameron get Brock free!" A voice called out as someone charged from the trees as an ape with reddish-brown with sections of white fur on its chest, head, and lower legs and with a large flame trailing from its head, a powerful looking Lucario. Brock whipped his head and stared as Riley came charging right behind his two Pokemon and Cameron and his Lucario ran towards him as Riley shot forward and tried to punch Agalia, only for her to dodge and pointed her one of her hand at him and shot a fireball at him. Riley stayed still until the fireball was near him before he backhanded the fireball with a glowing blue hand and sent the fireball to the side. Her Pyroar moved as it dodged the strikes from the two Pokémon and moved to stand next to its trainer, snarling as it looked at the others

"So a Wilder dares to stand against me? I don't know what your think is happening but you don't know what you're up against." Agalia said as she started to form two fireballs in her hands as

"I know exactly what you are. The Order of the Protectors of Humanity." Riley interrupted her as he looked at her with a hard stare. Brock looked at Agalia as she actually stared at him.

"Who the hell are you to know who I am, a wilder might have killed a team that was sent against you but how do you know our full name? It doesn't matter, a lowly wilder…" Agalia began as she slowly moved one of her hands behind her before interrupted her.

"I am one who is a Guardian." Riley declared in a firm voice causing Agalia to look at him in shock as she started to splutter.

"You can't be one of them! We killed them all years ago. You're all dead!" Agalia said as she starred. _To think one of those survived all these years, I have to tell them._

"You all failed, but I will have a long talk with you about that." Riley said before Agalia threw a ball infront of him that released a smoke screen that blocked Agalia and her Pyroar from sight. Riley braced himself when he heard a colossal roar that echoed off the mountains but when the smoke cleared they were gone. Carmeon finally finished getting Brock freed from the webbing. Brock got to his feet and scrambled to his Steelix and started to look over its wounds as he recalled his other two Pokémon.

"It's okay partner, you're gonna be just fine. Let me just get you back into your ball….Riley, is that you? rock said as he recalled his Steelix and saw a red haired woman walk into the clearing putting a gun away at her side.

"I'm Master Riley's student, Carmeon. This here is a friend we made yesterday her names…." Carmeon began before he was interrupted.

"Rosette Zargo of the Kanto Guard. A please to meet a former Gym Leader sir, but what are you doing on the mountain, those things over whelmed me at the cabin I was stationed at and the League should have gotten my message before I had to escape. Hey what's the matter?" Rosette asked as she saw Brock staring in shock at her. Carmeon looked at Brock when she said he was a gym leader. _A Kanto Gym leader with a Steelix, I wonder if he knows Ash. He did say he knew a few leaders in Kanto well._ Carmeon thought as Riley came to stand by them.

"My group found your cabin and a corpse of a Chimera like these things, but there was no record of a call on to the League when I set out on this expedition a few days ago." Brock said flatly causing Rosette to stare then start to curse. Riley only shook his head as his thoughts raced, he hoped was worried for nothing.

"We need to get back to Viridian, we have to get off this mountain and tell people the Chimera." Riley began only to stop when Brock caught his eye.

"I can't, I still have two more people up here; one of them came with Agalia, the person you just drove off." Brock said causing Carmeon to stare and look at his teacher who anserwed his student's look by shaking his head looking grim.

"We have to get off this mountain, we'll head to where they might be and then start heading down. We'll try to find them but we have to get away from here and defend Viridian, the swarm is getting larger." Riley said as he looked towards the mountains peak, knowing that a horde was even now being born and readied to strike.

"Stupid, stupid! How the hell did some of the Guardians survive and why'd they have to turn up on one of my ops?!"Agalia screamed as she rode her Pyroar away from the campsite, heading into Johto. She had to get to a safe house and tell the others about what she had found out, the Guardians were still alive! And she had to get the information about the Doctor as well; he would have to be dealt with soon. _All I can do is run and hope that Kunz gets away. The roar Pyroar gave off should tell him that I had to escape and he'll wait for an opportunity to finish off that gym trainer. But how the hell did the Guardians survive the ambush, no one survived that, the whole island was destroyed!_ She was so deep in thought that as she and her Pokémon moved through the mountain away from the battlefield she never noticed a metallic saucer was following her from the sky as she rode her Pokémon, nor did she realized that she had been marked as a target by the saucer's masters, that soon her destiny would change in ways she would have expected.

Yuji ran through the woods silently, Kunz behind them as they followed the lines of webbing. He looked over his shoulder at Kunz as he led the way through the wood, he did have a few reservations about him and his sister but something about the webbing he was following was a concern for him, he couldn't explain it but he had to find out what was at the end of the line. _I know there's something wrong with their story but this might be more important than that, I just have to watch him and hope I'm just wrong. I guess that maybe in Johto things in the League might be different then here in Kanto, but I doubt it._ Yuji thought as he looked ahead as he moved, paying attention to everything around him. A roar suddenly echoed off the mountain, out causing him to stop and looked about as Kunz stopped.

Kunz looked about while inside he was screaming. _Something happened back at camp, she had to leave and my luck she did so after trying to kill Brock. I just need to wait until there a chance to kill him and slip away, if I'm found I'll blame it on the Chimera._ Kunz looked at Yuji and adopted a flat look.

"That roar might have been from the camp, shall we return and come back here with others or should we continue?" He said robotically as Yuji looked around the trees around them, trying to find what had made that roar. After a few seconds Yuji looked at Kunz then turned and looked at the webbing.

"You can if you want but I'm going on. I can't describe it but this is important, we… _I_ have to find out whatlaid this; I can't describe why it's important. Like I said, go back if you want to but I'm going on." Yuji said as he walked alongside the cable, confident in his choice. Kunz looked at him and followed behind him with a frown on his face. ' _Some people get feelings, you can't explain it but sometime they will sense somethings you can't, trust them until you have to put a knife into their back.' Teach you had to be right didn't you, this is why I prefer destroy missions only._

After a few minutes they came across a few more lines that joined at a large glowing sphere that continued as a larger cable along the same heading as the first line they had followed. He looked at a tree closer to the boil and saw that it was practically dead with brittle leaves. Quickly looking at the other trees he frowned as he saw the upper branches were barren and light was passing by the dead branches. Suddenly he noticed multiple lines of webbing connected to the boil that looked dead for some reason that was connected to a large cocoon by a farther back and walked to it, drawing a knife that he used to cut the webs, cursing when he saw the bones of a wolf within it.

"Whatever these things are their stealing the life from the trees and animals in these cocoons, I don't want to think what these things will do to a human or Pokémon." Yuji said with a scowl as he looked at the skull of the wolf. Kunz merely looked at the skill as he thought what he had seen over the years, kills that made this look like a day at the beach. He noticed that none of the legs were broken and wondered just how that they had been put in the cocoons as he looked around, finally making a decision.

"We should release out Pokémon now and ready our weapons. If this is the result of the Chimera we're up here for we need to be ready to fight." Kunz said flatly as he released his Combusken and drew forth his axe. Yuji looked at him and nodded, pulling out his mace and released his Rhydon.

"Partner we're investigating this webbing, I think its connected to the Chimera we're tracking up here. Keep an eye out and get ready to blast anything you sense, okay." Yuji said to his Pokémon.

"One thing. A while back the two of us heard a loud _roar_ echo from somewhere. So it is advisable to be on guard." Kunz said flatly as he looked behind them. Yuji nodded but never noticed that Combusken had picked up something its trainer had said that Yuji didn't and started eying Rhydon.

"I have point and the right, Kunz, you two watch our back and the left." Yuji said as he walked forward, his Rhydon falling into step between him and Kunz as they moved on. Kunz watched the Ground type as it walked behind its trainer and started to watch the left side and moved after Yuji.

The party moved along the line of webbing, after a while they discovered other boils that had line of webbing that moved alongside the cable they had been following the same size as the first but surprisingly they didn't merge together but run in parallel. Finally they came upon a cave that the lines went into and when Kunz was going to walk into it, Yuji grabbed him and pulled him behind a tree. Kunz was startled and looked at Yuji, seeing him put a hand over his mouth and point to the right. Following Yuji's hand he saw a party of 1 Alpha, 6 Warriors and 8 Workers walking into the cave. Kunz looked on in shock, that so many Chimera were working together and the way they were moving showed that they were doing something routine, and that scared him more then he thought he was capable of. Yuji moved his face closer to Kunz and started to speak.

"Some of those were more of what we recovered at the cabin, the others look similar enough to have come from the same source I think, I haven't seen many Chimera." Yuji whispered in a low voice.

"Yeah, most Chimera in Kanto are loners, you rarely see a swarm built up like this by one of them spawning. In scenarios like this long range combat is usually the best thing to do, set up a killing field or find a way to immobilize the prey or strike to kill them in one shot, to save on ammo at the very least." Kunz whispered back as he eye'd the cave the Chimera had entered.

"Any advice… wait something's happening." Yuji said as the Alpha walked out of the cave leading 2 Warriors and 4 Workers, the Workers carrying a cocoon of something that released a blue glow from within. Yuji watched them and stayed quite until the Chimera were out of sight before he turned to Kunz.

"So do we turn back or try to find out what inside there first, there are a lot more Chimera then I thought there would be. And let's not forget that a lost less came out then went in there. In an enclosed space up against creatures with capabilities is not smart." Kunz said as Yuji silently touched a button on his Local Gear, a motion that Kunz didn't notice. _He's right, I don't know what that procession was about or what they took from the cave but._

"Your right, it is time for us to leave, we can return with help later." Yuji said as he turned before he noticed that Kunz had gone still and turned back to the mouth of the cave. Three Alphas were walking out of the cave, leading thirty Warriors. Two Alphas led ten Warriors to the left and right of the cave's mouth as the last Alpha stood in the center as something started to leave the cave. 10 Workers carried a large arachnid like Chimera, it had no legs, instead its legs would be were instead mouths that were closed. Its head had compounded eyes and a two horns above its eyes while it mouth was a dripping maw.{[Gather]}.

"What the hell is that, why the hell are they carrying it?" Yuji muttered as he looked at his Pokémon as he brought up his Local Gear and snapped a quick picture of it, not noticing Kunz was walking backwards away from him. The sound of a Pokéball caused Yuji to whip his head and saw Kunz releasing his Rapidash and sneering at Yuji.

"I have no idea, maybe it's their spawner. Whatever it is; good luck surviving them. Combusken, HYPERBEAM ON THE CAVE!" Kunz roared as Combusken fired an orange be that passed over the Chimera and hit the mountain, causing rocks to fall on the creatures leaving the cave, covering the back half of the Gather and crushing the Workers carrying its back half.

"What the hell?! I knew you two weren't what you said you were! I'll kill you ya scum bag!" Yuji snarled as Kunz recalled his Combusken and rode his Rapidash away from the. _SCUM! FUCK! Those things are gone come…we gotta get out of here._ He saw two of the Alphas move towards the Gather and take charge of the Workers there but the last Alpha was….looking…right…at…them!

"Oh fucker! Rhydon, we're running! Use that Protect variant we developed, the traveling one!" Yuji screamed as he turned and started to move, running away from the area his Rhydon right behind him forming a green domed energy shield behind it as it followed its trainer. _We should have turned back when we found the webbing but I had to go on,_ _ **I**_ _had to investigate but damn it I never thought that Kunz would have done that. I knew that something was wrong with those two, I knew something was wrong but I had to trust that scum to watch my back, should have paid more attention, I should have kept a better eye on that traitor! But I had to trust that he would have fought with me against the Chimera, not use them to kill me! Why the hell did he…that roar, it had to have been a signal from_ _ **her**_ _, did she kill Brock, did he run her off. I have to get away, what that thing they were carrying, it has to be important to those things!_ Yuji thought as he tried to think of a way to survive and get the information he had discovered back to his Gym. His Tauros wouldn't be able to handle the mountain and build up enough speed to stay ahead of the Chimera, he didn't know how fast they were but he had to find some way to survive against them, he had to make it back home!

Behind them the Alpha that had seen them thundered through the woods, leading 4 of the Warriors as it chased after them. It had seen a human and a creature and it was after the ones who dared to attack them. Still if they were strong enough to wound they would be an excellent source of food. The tracks they had left were of a human and a larger creature, it was fast and heavy, it would give much strength to the swarm. Perhaps the _Queen_ would give it the strength first as a reward? Would it be passed onto the _Princess_ , strength for the new hive? A flash of green

Yuji frowned as he heard the noise from behind them, they would have to turn soon, and try and fight them off. He needed to find a large enough place to stand against their pursuers; he couldn't just let them run them down! He remembered a spotting a meadow a few meters ahead of them that they passed when they followed the line of webbing and maybe he could hold there, that place gave him a line of sight that would let him have some control of the battle. It increased his chances a small amount, but he had to try.

"Rhydon, we'll try and hold them up ahead, use your instincts to hold them off!" Yuji commanded as they ran, hearing their pursers closing on them. When he reached the right place he turned and ran into the clearing and stopped at the center turning to meet the charge as his Rhydon circled him, the both of them ready to meet the charge of the Chimera.

The Alpha stopped at the edge of the meadow, the Warriors passing their leader and charging at their prey. Rhydon spun around, it's tailing glowing green as it hit the first Warrior, sending it flying backwards as its trainer sliced down with his mace at another Warrior that got close to them, breaking its head. The other two dropped back and opened their mouths and sent white needles at them, only for them to hit a green energy shield that blocked the attack. Yuji clenched his teeth as he tried to keep his eyes on the battle, but the way the Alpha was just watching the battle was making him worried, something about its gaze was causing him to want to charge it and kill it.

Shadow cursed as he watched the battle, it would have been smarter to go after the Order member but the Viridian trainer was an innocent and he had seen that large Chimera, if it important to swarm then Viridian and the League had to be warned, and he couldn't do it without **them** finding out he had been up here, he had to make sure that that the trainer made it down the mountain. He noticed that the kid was keeping his eyes on the Alpha and he started to reach for his throwing knives, it wasn't good when a Chimera stayed back, that means it could think and that was always trouble.

The Alpha looked at the battle and began to fall backwards, it would attack from behind and strike at the bigger creature and then it and the other would be food. Its mouth stated to water as it looked at the creature, imagining its abilities added to the swarm. Suddenly it sensed something and turned, just as a knife hit penetrated its head, killing it in one-shot. Shadow smirked under his masked before the dead Alpha started to glow and exploded!

Yuji looked up at the explosion and something told him to dodge to the left, narrowly missing the thrown Warrior striking with its stingers at him, it was back and had circled around to their back but had charged at the same time the other two charged at Rhydon, dropping all pretense of strategy and charged like starving animals after a bit of food. They hit the Protect with their bodies, snapping their mouths as Yuji and the third surviving Warrior circled each other. _What was that explosion, why the hell are these things acting like this, I don't get it. They acted like Pokémon before, now their acting like wild animals! Their barely using any moves, their just using their body parts._ Yuji thought as he dodged the stabs of the Warrior he was fighting.

"Rhydon, treat them like those wolves we dealt with a few weeks ago, their just animals now!" Yuji cried when he dodged to the left and destroyed on one of the Soldier's chitin stingers and watched as it moved backwards, snarling as it did so as it back away from him and turned, running into the forest in the opposite direction of the cave, which Yuji was between it and the Soldier. Turning back to his Rhydon, a smile formed on his face as he noticed that it held one in its claws while the other was crushed under its foot.

"Hold it there partner, I'll kill it and we'll bring it back." Yuji said as he walked towards it and drew a knife that he quickly inserted into the Warrior's head, killing it painlessly. Looking towards where the explosion happened he saw the Alpha's body was in tatters. _That thing was the source of the explosions, something killed it. Wait, they started to act like animals after the explosion…. I have to get this information back, if we target the leaders then we can make the others act like animals, well those things with stingers at least._ Yuji thought as he looked back towards the mountain and turned towards Viridian then looked around the meadow.

"We're leaving partner come on. We'll head back to camp, if Brock is alive we'll grab him and head home, these things have to be the source, if they aren't we still gotta tell the boss about what's up here." Yuji declared as he walked out of the battlefield, his Pokemon following behind him and unseen Shadow followed from the treetops, a meeting in their future but not now.

Ash moved quickly and silently along the river Nimue and Bonnie had used to escape from the ambush. As soon as he had reached it he had released Fletchling and Froakie and had had them shadowing him from the sky and water as Pikachu ran after him. He had been making good progress so far and hadn't run into anyone which was starting to worry him. _No one's looking for Bonnie or Nimue; no lookouts at the Center so they weren't the targets. Then was it Lilly or Serena? Why, what reason do they have to go after them? This better not be like the Spector and May damn it!_ Ash cursed in his head as he and his team moved silently.

"Fletch!" Fletchling cried out above Ash's head. Ash looked and saw a bridge ahead of him that looked burnt. He started to look around the area as his Pokemon started to spread out, Froakie and Pikachu looking around as Flectling hovered on over watch. He noticed a few spots with dried blood here and there. _So Serena fought back here while Lilly held the bridge. Then they moved this way down this alley._ Ash walked a bit down the alley in question as Froakie and Pikachu followed, with Fletchling guarding their back. Ash stopped when he noticed green dust on the ground near the remains of a few pieces of glass. Ash spent a few more moments looking over the alley, noting a few marks that showed that two people jumped from a high location. _Sleep spores, a Bug-Type could have used it but this glass and the tracks from jumping down to the ground; the tactics look familiar for some reason, where have I seen like this before._

"Pika?" Pikachu asked as it used its tail to push a piece of glass around. Ash sighed and looked at his partner as he took out his Pokédex and opened a special app.

"You've seen this before to, hu Pikachu? Where I can't remember, but this was a professional job. I think it might be a good idea to talk to the local Joey." Ash said as he recalled his other two Pokémon.

"Straight House, Aces High! Read 'em and pay up gentle folks!" Harley chuckled as he spread his hand on the table. As he grabbed the chips the other three started to curse as Harley laughed. _A few days to decide what direction I'm going in and I'm gone. Maybe setting those bug users on Ashey was a waste of time but I still came out ahead here._ Harley stopped when he saw a few people stand up from their tables and look towards the door. He went pale when he saw a figure in a battered looking black cloak walk into the room.

"The Battler!?"

"What's he doing here?! I thought he was in Kanto!"

"I heard that he slaughters Chimera to wake up in the morning!"

The people around him muttered to themselves as Harley sank lower into his chair as he looked at the Battler. He had escaped from Sinnoh with a small bounty for a few actions he done in the Eastern region of that region and he had noticed the Battler moving about the docks when he had gotten on a sea plane so he was worried that he was the target. When the Battler passed by and walked towards Joey behind the counter he gave a sigh of relief. _Maybe I should leave once he's done, yes I think I'll go over to Lumiose City, yes that's what I'll do._

Ash walked towards the bar as he heard the murmurs around him, cursing a few bounties he had brought down over the years and the fact that one or two mob boss's had fallen to him. The blond man behind the bar looked at him and silently kept cleaning a glass. As soon as Ash reached the counter the man behind it looked at him with a deadpan look.

"So what brings an infamous person like you to my Den?" Joey asked as Ash reached slowly into his cloak and brought out a black coin. Joey merely looked at it before he picked it up and

"Your office." Ash said, causing Joey to walk towards a door that he opened and Ash followed him into. As soon as the door closed half the people in the room started to run for the exit, Harley was one of them.

"So what do you want to use a coin to pay for? Possible locations of a bounty your tracking? The list of Black List Chimera? Or maybe it's the location of Team Plas…" Joey began as he sat behind his desk before Ash interrupted him.

"Your silence on my request and all you can tell me about the gang in this city that uses Bug Types and where I can find them." Ash said as Joey leaned back and gave a short laugh.

"Wasting a Coin on _them_? Eh, who am I to tell what to spend it on. The boys you're asking about are call the Buzz Lords, their leader is Rex of the Tristo family, the bastards who ruled this area back during the Great War. And unlike a lot of other nobles they were more like tyrants than anything else." Joey said as he removed a folder from a file cabinet that he handed to Ash who started to look over reports on the Buzz Lords activity and a few on what the Tristo family had done in ancient time.

"No resistance against them?" Ash asked with a surprised tone as he read about the people the family had killed, looking up as Joey just sighed.

"It was around that time that they started that the forces from around where Laverre City started to step up their spy craft and did such damage that they were used as an excuse at least once a year until the end of the War for the family to get rid of the people in their territory who gave them the most trouble. Fun fact, about ten years after the first time they used that excuse the patriarch at the time killed the boyfriend of his daughter, and when she learned the truth she started a civil war between the family that lasted for the next three generations, they only remarried into each other about four generations ago." Joey mused as he watched the Battler.

"Current affairs of the family?" Ash asked as he put the folder down.

"The family gained a fortune the real estate business after the war and own most offices between here and Snowbelle City. Going through records Rex Tristo has two siblings, a twin sister who was sent away to boarding school and since she's come back she's been seen about town with another young woman her age and then there's the younger brother, he recently took part in the Pokémon Contest and was disqualified. The parents died a few years back, their bodies were found in a Chimera den but they were just bones and a few scraps of clothing so how they died is a _mystery_. Funny thing is that happened a few weeks after Rex was passed over to be the Gym Leader around here, and that was a month before the Buzz Lords started up." Joey snickered as Ash looked at him.

"Where are they?" Ash asked, prompting Joey to hand over a piece of paper.

"This has all the properties that the Tristo's don't have on the market. One of them probably is their hideout, and personally I would try the ones at the edge of town. Don't know why you're after them but good luck to ya, they have so cut into my profits lately, but get outa here before you drive off the rest of my profits." Joey said as he gestured to the door. Ash nodded and walked out into a much more empty room.

Rebecca smiled to herself as she walked down the hallway back towards her chambers. She had retrieved the Key of the Lord, and her brother didn't know just what he had lost! The symbol of leadership in their family, she was now the Lady Rebecca of the Tristo Nobile family! Everything was going perfectly! All she had to do now was help Claudia and then get out of this wreck. She stopped when she noticed members of the gang standing guard outside the security room and moved forward, wondering what was the cause. As she approached, the LT in charge noticed her and moved towards her.

"Lady Rebecca, greetings." The Lieutenant said as he bowed. Rebecca noticed the way his eye were on her and gave a small smile while on the inside she glared at him. _Just wait, a few more days and then you'll have plenty of dates in prison you pervert!_

"Greetings LT, what is the meaning behind the guard?" Rebecca asked as she gestured towards the other two gang members. The Lieutenant looked ashamed as he looked at her.

"Last night the watch staff was killed, we didn't discover it until the shift change. We don't know who did it and to make matters worse the computers were destroyed and it looks like a virus destroyed the cameras so it'll be a few days until we can finish repairs. What with the mission the boss sent those shadows on…" The Lieutenant muttered, causing Rebecca to snap her head towards him.

"What mission for the shadows?" Rebecca asked dumbly as she stared. _He didn't, please tell me he didn't do what I'm thinking of…_ She prayed as she waited for a reply.

"He sent them on a kidnap mission; I heard they came back with two girls about ten minutes ago. One of them was to be sent to his personal chambers and the other was to be sent to recruitment. Are you alright m'lady, you're looking pale" The Lieutenant asked as Rebecca leaned against the wall of the hallway.

"What were the girl's hair colors?" Rebecca asked barely breathing as she prayed she was wrong.

"The girl sent to recruitment had black hair and the other was a honeyed blond I believe." Rebecca moved past him and walked faster back towards her section of the building, it was time to leave. As she moved higher she cursed to herself. _It had to have been that Gym battle that caused Rex to do this. This is bad, this is really bad! I was planning on giving a tip to Jenny about this but with what I know about him he'll be here soon, no choice I have to finish this and get out with just my girls._

When she finally reached her area she whistled sharply, gaining the attention of all of her followers.

"Time to clear out ladies! Have Claudia and our friend join me in my chambers and the rest of you begin to clear out all evidence of our presence here, we're leaving in one hour!" Rebecca said as she walked to her room and put the Key on her bed as she started to pack away all her things. _That idiotic bastard! Why did he do this, just what does he gain by forcing a confrontation with Ash? What did he see in that battle that gave him the single idea that this would… Ash's tactics. That has to be it. The one time he listened to me about the plans to take over the town and he does this?_

"Has something happened M'lady?" Claudia voice caused Rebecca to stop thinking and pulled her back to the present.

"Indeed, the girls are packing up and I saw a few of them preparing cuttings from all the plants and gathering seeds while having their Pokémon move or destroy the furniture. I know your plans were to leave this place soon but has something happened to accelerate them?" Damian asked, not bothering to disguise her voice. Rebecca sighed and finished puttering away her clothing before she stood and turned to Claudia in her maid uniform and Damian standing next to her in the doorway.

"Rex sent those people he had on retainer to capture two of the girls who watched Ash's gym battle in person, they returned a few minutes ago. I believe he will be paying this place a visit within the next hour or so." Rebecca said before Damian just looked blankly at Rebecca before she exploded.

"He did what? That stupid idiotic buffoon! You don't tickle the sleeping Pyroar, you move silently by it! I knew he was an idiot for taking everything at face value when he lost the Key but this, I can't even." Damian said as she shook her head at Rex's stupidity.

"This will have to change our plans. When you deal with Rex do blunt his memory of Aura use would you? That would make the battle with Ash a more even match." Rebecca said. Claudia looked at her mistress in confusion as Damian nodded.

"Rest assured I will deal with it. This could help make Pikatrainer more believable and my assassin is already deployed. And don't worry; I'll blunt his skills, what small amount he has." Damian's words caused Claudia to stare in confusion before she spoke up.

"M'Lady what does she mean by that? Why would you act against your brother?" Claudia's question caused Rebecca to sigh and look at Claudia firmly. Claudia stepped backwards only to bump into Damian who smiled through the bandages.

"Yeah, I'm going to have to unlock you first Claudia." Rebecca said as she picked up the key by the head and pointed the key at Claudia.

"Unlock? Mistress what are you talking about?" Claudia said as the key started to glow green as Rebecca pointed it at her. Rebecca frowned as her eyes started to glow green as the Key fed her some information. _Release all locks? How many did Rex make, wait how old is this, then… dad, you did this to sis? Why did?_ Rebecca steeled her eyes and decided she'll ask Claudia about it when her memories are back.

"Oh Key of the Lord, whose might seals away that which your owner desires from their subjects, release the lock!" Rebecca chanted as a beam of light hit Claudia, causing her to gasp and fall down onto her knees. Rebecca smiled and released a Vivillon that hovered before a blue glow covered Claudia's body as she started to float. Rebecca turned to Damian with a scowl on her face.

"Go do what you have to do and I'll see you with my girls back at the mansion." Rebecca said shortly as she walked out of her room. Rebecca frowned as she stalked out of her…. _former_ room. Once she returned back to her family's mansion and started to consolidate her new empire, then she would deal with what happened to Claudia.

Damian looked as her friend walked away with Claudia's body and the Vivillon following and frowned. What had Rebecca sensed from that Artifact? No matter, she had a job to do now Damian thought to herself as she drew forth a Pokéball.

She walked down the stairs leading out of Rebecca's section and smiled when she saw two gang members and one of the maids she threw her Pokéball and released a yellow furred small biped with a coin on a string in one hand. The sound of the release caused the people to look up before Hypno's eyes glowed blue and they gained a blue outline and their eyes went blank.

"Good job Hypno. Now then, lets erase all the memories of Rebecca, her followers and myself from their minds, and don't let them struggle and we'll put them to sleep until I'm done." Damian said using her real voice as her Hypno obeyed her commands.

"Frank Isolod. Twenty years old; a trainer who failed the Gym Trainer exam of the Santalune Gym. Was seen about town for the next two months doing Quests before disappearing the weak after the Santalune Gym Tainer Viola became the Gym Leader last year. Was seen leading an attack on a convoy the next month and has since then been assumed to be the leader of the Scolipede Riders." Jenny said as she read from a folder as a teen in black pants, a white shirt with a green jacket over and wearing a jade green bandanna around his neck. He leaned back with a sneer on his face as he watched Jenny over the table, his arms folded.

"So you know who I am, what am I supposed to be impressed?" He sneered as he looked at her. Jenny just glared back at him, wondering if she should have tried to get around the limitations about interrogations and had a Psychic on hand.

"It's to make you think! I have enough on you to put you away for years, decades even! And I will unless you deal with me!" Jenny snarled as she slammed a hand on the table. All she received for her words was a laugh that's bitter edge caused Jenny to stare at him.

"There's only one thing you can do with me, ship me out of the city. And then my boys will be there to bust me out and I'll be back where I was before the months out." He sneered as she glared at him, knowing that he was right. _Damn the Commissioner's policy that all gang members are to be sent to prison outside the city their captured in. 'Make it harder for them to break out' my ass!_

"Regardless your crimes as the leader of the Riders will still send you away for a long, long time. Enjoy the next few days, there'll be the last days you spend in this city for a long, long time!" Jenny said as she exited the room, leaving the ganger smirking as he sat there as she slammed the door, not noticing two eyes in the vent in the room looking at the ganger.

Jenny stalked down the hallways, the look on her face causing the others in the hallway to stumble out of her way as she walked through the station. _That bastard! And damn the commissioner for stupidly announcing that policy at that party! We might catch them but at least fifty percent of those scums either escape or are broken out and those that don't are usually broken out when the prisons are raided after at most a year! And the Pokémon they have are usually taken back by the gangs before the people are._ Jenny moved in the central area of the station and moved about the hustle and bustle of the station and walked into her office. She closed the door and sat behind her desk and leaned back in her chair and sighed, that person knew exactly what restraints she was under and how far he could push her hoping to spark a reaction from her. A the sound of her phone caused her to look up and smiled when she saw it was from the station in Snowbelle City and smiled, she would call about today. She picked up the phone and smirked.

"Hey cousin, how the temperature up there, hot yet?" Jenny asked with a total deadpan tone.

"A balmy 22 degrees, the suns out and I'm in a grass skirt, how are the bugs down there, swarming?" A playful voice asked, causing Jenny to laugh.

"Don't mention bugs, we finally got the Scolipede's leader but the brat knows what we have to do with him and he's not breaking. And what's worse he was caught with members of the Buzz Lords with him so how far they've been working together I can't say, but this is really going to give me trouble." Jenny said as she turned the chair around and looked out her window.

"I would give anything for a gang like them up here; it would be so much more easier to deal with then what's happening." Jenny sat up and started to look worried.

"Why did you say that, what's happened?" Jenny demanded in a rush. She heard a sigh and what sounded like something being put down.

"In the last three weeks patrollers have found blood remains of animals, Pokémon and as of today three humans. I think a new Black Mark has been born around here." Jenny went white as soon as the words registered.

"Are you serious!? A new Black Mark!?" Jenny demainded as she stood up and sent her chair rolling against the wall.

"Again we've only found remains. I'm having our corner look over the human remains for any marks that are constant, and some officers are hoping it's just a human sicko but I'm not." Jenny reached for her chair and forced a laugh.

"Maybe that gang you've been talking about will run into it and they'll take each other out." Jenny joked and heard a laugh from the phone.

"I'm not that lucky cousin. Still if something does turn up like I'm dreading I might be calling on you for help." This caused Jenny to grin and chuckle.

"As long as there's nothing happening here I'm always up for helping out family." Jenny said with a smirk before a sudden commotion from the interrogation room caused her to look up

"Sorry got to run, something's happening stay safe you hear me?" Jenny said as she put the phone down without waiting for a replay. She rushed out and saw people milling about a doorway, every one of them had looks of shock, anger or looked like they were going to be sick. She went still when she realized that they were in front of the room she had used with the captured ganger and she pushed past them to stare into the room and went white. The body was her suspect, Frank Isolod, dead. Something had thrown a knife made of what looked like ice into his throat and clawed out his eyes and torn away his lower jaw. Jenny's eyes noticed one of the vents was missing with the surrounding metal partially frozen over and pieces of ice on the floor. Jenny turned to the others mulling about and looked towards the officer in charge of the cellblock.

"The other gangers?" Jenny asked, already knowing the answer before she even asked, not surprised when he shook his head.

"I was bringing them their supper when I discovered them dead from a blow to the neck; it was fast and quick at least. I can't understand how they died, the wounds small enough for a knife but I can't even tell where the knife went." The sergeant said with a scowl on his face as he scowled.

"Ice. The wounds were made from something made of ice. The assassin was a Pokémon, something small enough to get through the vents." Jenny said as she pointed at the frozen metal before she turned and moved toward the front. As soon as she reached the squad room she started to give out orders.

"This is bad but we will find some way around this! I want people outside looking for anything small enough to fit through the vents and can use Ice moves! I want at least two people going over every sighting of the Buzz Lords to try and find their base or where they might have someplace they've been seen often! And someone call Viola, I need to talk to her about failed Trainers! I'll send a request for help from national!" Jenny barked as she moved towards her office, the people who heard her moving to carry out her orders.

Meowth looked at the police station from across the street and threw a rock covered in a piece of paper up and caught it as he thought about what he was doing. His team was changing, they had proven more than the rank and file years ago and there was that thing with Looker but that was against Team Plasma so it could be excused, but this was taking a stand, and he prayed that the Boss never found out. _Or if Butch and Cassidy ever find out, that'll be trouble. Those two have been acting capgy last time we saw them. But they ain't got anything on how Domino's been lately._ Meowth thought as a shudder as he thought about the look she had in her eyes the last time they had seen her. Forget everything about how some of others acted, there was just something _wrong_ with her. Thankfully she was mostly in headquarters so they hadn't seen her much but there were _rumors_ among the team about her that had been going about, and Meowth didn't like them one bit. But this was something else, no matter how he'd justify it this was just one more way Jessie and James were starting to pull away from Team Rocket, if they ever decided to say no to Team Rocket then he'd have to make a choice. But that was for the future, this was the present, he had to stay focused.

"Still, we've all got our reasons for being here, but we've also gotta act according to what we can live with ourselves." Meowth muttered as he looked at the windows, wondering where he should throw the rock through when he noticed movement on the roof. Meowth ducked down behind the wall at the roof's edge and sneaked a glance over the edge and saw a Weavile get out of a vent on the station's roof. Meowth's eyes went hard when it noticed it throw a small piece of meat into the air before it swallowed it, did the meat have something hanging off it? Meowth watched as it jumped off the roof onto the next building, heading towards the north of town, the opposite direction of the Buzz Lord's base. Commotion by the station's entrance caused him to look and notice as police poured out, running every which way and looking for anything that looked out of place. The local Officer Jenny came out a second latter and looked like she was ready to kill something.

Meowth snarled as he realized just what this meant. That Weavile had killed someone in there and now the plan was so much scrap! If he threw it now they'd think it was a trap at best, them being screwed with at worst. _This is just perfect! I can't think of any way to get this information to them that they'd believe it! I can't not pass on this information and there's no way that won't have Jess and James in hot water with the Boss! There has to be a way…ello, what's this?_ Meowth wondered as a sandy blonde woman with a camera around her neck was running towards Jenny.

Jenny had a scowl on her face as she tried to get her emotions under control as she tried to get some control over the situation. _That stupid, arrogant bastard! 'The security of the station is the responsibility of all officers stationed there and no others. We shall not escalate or give the criminal element an excuse to even think about doing the same.' Whose side is he really on, the law or the lawbreakers? An assassin sneaks into the station, kills people in custody and when I request some help to handle a raid he shuts it down the same_ _ **hour**_ _I make the formal request._

"Jenny, hey. Woah, what died around here?" A voice caused her to turn her head and look at Viola who was looking around in confusion. Jenny just sighed and shook her head, knowing just how Voila would react about what she was about to tell her.

"Three people died, more to the point the three were the people who were caught outside your gym after they assaulted those two girls." Jenny said as she braced herself for the eruption. Viola only stared in shock before she started to go red in the face.

"WHAT, THE, HELL. How the devil did they?!" Viola demand as she started to flex her fingers, grasping an invisible throat. Jenny just sighed and locked eyes with Viola's.

"Something that could use Ice moves and move through the vents of the station. The two lower ranked were killed quickly, the leader's body was desecrated. Do you know of any Bug types that that can use moves that could create a small weapon and throw it at a target?" Jenny asked only to watch Viola shake her head.

"Nothing that could move through the vents, if they were frozen solid then I could think of some Bug types, heck I have one on my team!" Voila said as Jenny cursed. _There goes the hope that she would know something the general public doesn't, I admit it was a long shot but I had to try._ A commotion from the sides caused both of them to turn their heads.

"Look kid I'm telling you….!" The speaker was one of the patrolmen who was arguing with a blond boy in blue overalls wearing glasses and wearing a large backpack.

"And I'm telling you I will be speaking to your boss or so help me!" Clemont began as Viola noticed who was arguing with the policeman.

"Clemont, is that you? What are you doing here?" Viola called out as she gestured for him to be let in.

"Voila, it's good to see you but I'll get to the point, a few hours ago my sister and three of my friends were attacked and only my sister and one of them was able to escape. Ash went to find them and he sent me messages that he followed the tracks to an abandoned theater where people wearing the same clothing as the people who attacked Lilly before were." Clemont said in a rush, causing Jenny and Viola to look at him.

"They attacked them? You're sure about that?" Jenny demanded as she grabbed Clemont's shoulder. Clemont met Jenny's eyes with a hard look in his and replayed to her question.

"My sister was brought to the Center because a Beedrill poisoned her. So yes I'm sure about it." Jenny looked at him for a few minutes before she turned to her men.

"I want all force ready to go in five minutes! We have a lead and I am not letting it slip through our fingers this time! Gym Leader Viola, would you mind assisting us on this?" Jenny asked as she turned back to Clemont and Voila.

Meowth just smiled to himself as he absorbed over what he had heard. _I guess Jess and James are going to get a front row seat for the Twep's next rage. It's always something to see if you're not on the receiving end! But I guess stealing form them will be easier with 'help' from him and the law. Sorry I couldn't get here in time, hope you're okay girls._ Meowth thought to himself as he started to make his way back to his friends. He could only hope that they had arranged the disguises they would need for **after** the raid.

Ash looked at the 'abandoned' theater and frowned when he saw all the people in green outside it. As soon as he had discovered the base of the Buzz Lords he had sent a message to Clemont and he hopped that it took a while for him to bring the Calvary, he wanted a few minutes to 'talk' with this gang's leader, preferably over weapons. _So five people outside, two Beedrills and a Pinsir as backup. So Pikachu for the guards and Froakie and Fletchling to handle the Pokémon until Pikachu can help them._

"Pikachu, like when we raided that place in Kanto. Froakie, Fletchling handle the Pokémon that remain moving after Pikachu leads off, I'll handle the people." Ash said as he put his cloak back into his bag and adjusted his shield and sword as he looked at his Pokémon.

"Froakie."

Flechtling!"

"Pika!"

"Thanks guys. Pikachu give me a 50 count to get closer. Once that's done Thunderwave and then melee the Pokémon until their knocked out." Ash said as he moved down the alley, getting closer to the theater as he moved, counting down in his head as he went. When he reached 35 he had crept close enough to overhear the guards talking to each other

"Did ya see the new girls that were brought in earlier? They were both lookers." One of the guards with a broken tooth asked another wearing an eyepatch.

"Did ya see the rack on the black haired one, can't wait to have when she's trained up a bit." Eyepatch said.

"Blonde's more my style mates, can't wait until the boss is done with her." One wearing glasses said with a laugh as Ash started to greet his teeth.

"Pika?" A cute sound voice caused Ash to smirk.

"Hey, ain't that a Pikachu? What's wrong little guy, want some food?" Another one asked.

"Pika Pikachu!" Pikachu cried as it unleashed a devastating Thunder Wave that caused the guards and their Pokémon to cry out and when it ended, all but two of them were on the ground as their Pokémon struggled to get up. Before one of the Beedrills could do more then start to get up, a sphere of water hit it, sending it back to the ground unconscious.

"Where'd the hell did that come from!" The leader asked as he struggled to steady himself.

"Up there boss!" Glass's cried as Froakie, Pikachu and Fletchling attacked the other two Pokémon. As the two guards stared at the battle Ash darted behind the leader and bashed him with his shield, knocking him out.

"So let's have us a talk about where those two girls are, shall we?" Ash said with a smirk that caused Glasses to start to pale and stumble backwards, pulling out a short blade that he pointed at Ash. Glasses looked at the battle between Ash's Pokémon and paled when he saw Pikachu use Iron Tail to slam the Pinsir against a wall of one of the other buildings as Fletchling shot silver crescents at Beedrill as Froakie threw another water sphere at Beedrill.

"Call those three off, call them off now!" He demanded as Ash swung his sword and took a stance.

"Make me." Ash said with a small smirk.

"RAAAGGGHH!" Glasses cried as he ran at Ash and sliced down with his sword, Ash parried the blade with his sword and locked eyes with his opponent, seeing the fear in them and mentally went over his plan. _So just another bully when he's with a group, hu? I just need to disarm him and then he'll sing like a canary once I'm in a position where he's weaker than me. A bit of intimidation and then I'm in._ Ash thought as he led Glassess backwards, away from the theater as he tried to isolate his opponent.

Glasses stared at the person who had attacked the gang, he was falling back like cowards always do, all he had to do was disarm him and he could force his Pokémon to stand down. He thought what the boss would do when he walked into the base with someone who'd attacked the gang, and as he slashed at the attacker he started to fantasies about what he'd get for this. Suddenly he saw his opponent smirk grow and stopped and looked around, paling as he did so. The guards Pokémon were all on the ground and he was surrounded by the attackers Pokémon and the attacker had stopped moving backwards and was staring at him.

"So you figured out what I was doing too late, so you have a choice to make." Ash said as he watched Glasses paling face as his hands started to shake and he looked around. Glasses dropped his blade and raised his arms above his head.

"Don't hurt me please! I never did anything more than scare a few people and collected some money from people we offered insurance to!" Glasses stammered as he watched Ash.

"The girls, where are they?" Ash demanded as he watched the stammering fool.

"The black haired was brought to what's called General Initiation, I've never been there. The blond was to be brought to the boss. That all I know I swear!" Glasses said with a quiver to his voice. Ash looked at the theater and saw no movements from within and thought. _No signs that they know that anything is happening out here, so maybe I'm lucky, but I have to move on._

"Right, you've been a big help, so I'm going to do you a favor. I'm only going to knock you out, not paralyze you." Ash said as he knocked Glasses out with his shield. He walked towards the doors to the theater and saw that the doors were locked. _Just like that time hu, so we went quite but now it's time to go loud._

"Pikachu break the door down." Ash said as he stretched and gripped his shield and sword as Pikachu gained a smirk as the others moved to stand by Ash.

Inside the lobby 10 members of the Buzz Lords milled about. Ever since the others that had returned with the girls the base had been on lockdown and the group had been ordered to move to their squads bases and go dark and prepare for a big announcement and those at the main base were those who hadn't join one of the squads yet. With the guards who had been killed in the monitoring room the whole base was on edge, and with the lockdown a lot of them were nervous that something might happen.

"So you decided what ya going to try out for yet?"

"The say that the boss of the 'Riders was caught by the cops, guessing their Vice is going up in rank."

"I heard that the reason the boys were killed was because one of the other gangs around here are planning to move on us and they were taking out our eyes."

"There's no way any of the scum around here coulda done that, if they were they'd been here by now…." One of them scoffed right before the doors exploded sending the remains of the door flying towards them, some of the pieces knocking out four of the gangers in the lobby and causing wounds on the others. They looked towards the remains of the door and saw Ash walk through the smoke and stood defiantly with his Pokémon by his side.

"Evening all, a lady I know told me that you guys found two friends who were wondering around the city and I've come to pick them up. I told a friend of mine where we are and he went to see Jenny for help in rewarding you all for taking care of them. So want to wait nicely or shale we have a nice _spar_ beforehand?" Ash asked with a smirk. The gangers stared at him in shock as some of them drew forth weapons or Pokéballs. Ash just shook his head and stepped backwards, while Pikachu blasted them with a bolt of electricity!

Rex snarled as he heard the explosion from the front of the building. Perhaps it was one of his enemies coming to _talk_ with him. He looked up and saw Damian walking into the room with a Hypno walking behind him and his Weavile.

"What are you doing here? I didn't call you, did you handle the problem at the station?" Rex demanded as Damian started to chuckle before he replied

"My friend made sure that the captured fools wouldn't speak anymore. It was the least I could do as a **last** request for an idiot like you. A fool who couldn't even tell the truth of someone right in front of him." Damian said with a feminine voice. Rex dropped his mouth as he realized what Damian had said, more what _Damian_ sounded like.

"Who the…what the….Who the hell are you!?" Rex demanded before a blue glow outlined his body and he lost control of his body.

"Allow me to reintroduce myself." Damian said as _he_ reached up and grabbed his bandages and another hand grabbed his cloths and spun around, disappearing from sight as _he_ twirled. As the clothing and banadages started to move off Damian's body a feminine shape appeared, reavling that Damian was a woman.

"The name is Darcy, master assassin of the Returners." The woman said in a seductive tone of voice. Her long white hair flowed in waves down her back and she wore a black short corset dress that ended at her knees and she had on black knee high boots. Her lips were painted an abyssal black and her eyes were the color of ice with blue eyeliner above them. She had an hourglass figure and as she strutted towards Rex he felt a wave of desire hit him before his rage killed it. She gave off a musical chuckle when she looked into his eyes and saw the emotions in them.

"So you fought it off, I need to change the makeup of my _special perfume_ to work better. Ah well, this has been a great relationship Rexie-dear. Your sister is now the head of your family, the rage you felt at being passed over will be the perfect answer to why you did this." Damain… _Darcy_ to Rex's confusion. _What the hell is this broad talking about, what's her endgame._

"Oh, you didn't know? That paperweight is actually the symbol of your family's headship; by losing it you lost all rights to lead your family." Darcy said with a musical giggle at the end as Rex reacted.

"I'd love to stay and chat, but it's time for you to sleep and forget. It has been anything but a pleasure to have known you." Darcy said as Rex's eyes grew heavy.

"My Lord, My Lord wake up!" A voice said as someone shook Rex awake. Rex blinked and saw one of his Lieutenants shaking him. Rex looked around and heard the sounds of battle farther towards the front of the base

"I'm awake, what the hell is happening!?" Rex demanded as he looked around and saw five of his followers around him.

"A trainer with a sword is slaughtering us! His Pikachu strikes our Pokémon and his other two finish them off! And his Pikachu is knocking our guys out or paralyzing them!" Rex stared in shock before he slapped himself. _So he's brave enough to challenge us on his own, prefect. I know he's a great trainer since he beat Viola's strategy but this is great! Once he's under my command I'll finally have a worth second. But still, why did I have to recruit this guy the hard way without trying the soft way first? No other choice then to handle this myself since those people already left._

"You! Bring that new blond and somebody get me my armor and weapons, I'll handle him here." Rex ordered as he stood up. He could still handle this, his conquest of this city was still on track, and once he had conquered this town he would march on his families estate and take it back from his sister, and prove that he and he alone should have been giving his families leadership in the first place no matter what his father thought before he and his mother thought about him.

 **Black Mark** ; A Chimera that has earned an epitaph. League policy is to put bounty on all identified Black Marks, but most aren't identified by dead bodies recovered by people.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

I can't apologys for how late this is, really! I wanted this done a weak ago but I had a party to help setup/cleanup and some RL problems. So sorry, enjoy and I've published a side series, Darkening Dawn. It have standalone storys that helped shape my Pokemon World and might echo back into this one, give it a try. So enjoy, and I've structured the next three chapters so they might be faster, hope to have the next before Thanksgiving everyone, lets hop!

Lilith sighed as she walked through the castle, ever since she had returned from her mission to Kalos she had been missing her friends. Thankful she had been able to dodge **him** the last few times she had attended court with Lady Camilla so there was that at least, but her cousin had picked up how she had been lately and had needled her about it but if she was honest about her feelings, then she missed those days of being with her friends, talking about fashion with Serena, teaching Bonnie how to fight and dance, debating Pokémon training tactics with Ash and helping Clemont with his inventions. But when they returned to the Lumiose City she had to go home because of the threat, yes the… _wait, this is…._

Snapping her eyes open she bolted upright throwing her hand across her mouth and noise and immediately activated an Aura skill to block out whatever was in the air. Looking around she saw she was in a room and she noticed four things first, one; she was in a closed room with golden pollen or…scales dropping from a rotating fan, two; there were three other girls her age with her in the room on beds like the one she was on, three; the room had no windows and only one door and four there was a one way window to let people observe what was happening in the room she was in. She reached up and caught a bit of the pollen and brought it to her hand as she caused her hand to glow blue and wasn't surprised when she saw the pollen in her hand gained a golden glow.

 _Alchemy, this was created with Alchemy. I thought Nimue said Aura use had died out here in Kalos, but someone created or sold Dreamer's Sand to these people. Probably trying to break them as their fondest dreams are destroyed and all they have lefty is what they want them to have, servants then, but domestic or other? Whatever I'm so helping Ash and the others learn that trick M'Lady taught me when they finally learn about Aura Users._ Lilith thought as she tried to remember what had happened to her. She looked at the other girls and noticed a few signs that two of them had been wearing well done makeup and the other had on stylish clothing that complimented her figure, with these factors the answer was clear. She got off the bed and started to pat herself down, smiling when she that while she didn't have her jacket and her whip, she did have her backup whip and her shoes. She took of her right shoe and opened a hidden compartment and pulled out a multi tool _._ Walking to the door she first unfurled her backup weapon from around her waist and started to pick the lock using her multi tool.

Hearing the bolt open she slowly opened the door and saw her main whip and her jacket in a room that had two doors across from each other and a few items that showed the girls in the room she had just left were trainers. Donning her jacket and putting her backup whip away she picked up her whip and moved and pushed down a switch next to the window, smiling when she saw the pollen that was falling had stopped and looked towards the other door.

"Okay girl, let's take stock. You were with Nimue, Serena and Bonnie. You noticed you were being followed and Nimue got Bonnie….Serena! She's not here, so she has to be somewhere else, was she the target, they'd never use something like that if they knew I was active so she has to have been their target. But why…question later, find her now." Lilith said as she looked at the other door and noticed hinges on her side. Opening the door as quietly as she could, she peered out and saw that the hallway was empty, trying to hear anything but hearing only silence she moved into the hallway, activating Ghost Walker as she did so she could strike first against anyone she came across. _Ready or not, here I come. Hope your ready scumbags._ She thought as she moved silently through down the hallway, trying to find her friend.

Ash dropped the last Buzz Lord trainer in the hallway and looked at the trail he and his team had left behind them, moaning, paralyzed or knocked out gangers and their Pokémon littered the hallway and he gave a small sigh as he shook his head. _Why, oh why do people always choose the hard way, I mean just once I'd like to do this the easy way. I mean all the times this played out before and they never went the easy option._ Ash thought as he looked down the hallway, hoping to find some clue to where his friends were.

A ganger on the floor snarled as he looked up from where Ash had dropped him and smirked as he reached for a weapon to strike at him with when suddenly he felt fur? He looked at where his hand was to see Pikachu smiling cutely at him before he gained a savage grin on his face as the ganger paled.

"PIKACHU!" Pikachu exclaimed as he fried the ganger. Ash looked back and shook his head with a sigh as he saw what Pikachu had done. Froakie and Fletchling finished off their opponents and started to move back towards him, Froakie stopping at a partially open door and looked into it before it dropped back and quickly dashed to its trainer, pulling on Ash's pants to get his attention. Ash looked down and followed Froakie's hand pointing at the door it had found.

"What is it Froakie, did you find something?" Ash asked as he walked to the door and opened it, staring with shock before his gaze went hard. Ash's eyes saw five girls cowling behind bars and saw three others chained up. A bloody mattress was alongside the wall the door was on and Ash noticed a few stains that he didn't want to identify. He moved towards the girls when he saw the ones on the ground move farther away from the cell door and stopped. He looked around and saw a ring of keys on a holder next to the door and walked back into the hallway and collected a few of the weapon the gangers had used and dropped them in front of the cell and threw the keys to the cowering figures. They stared at him as he turned and walked to the doorway.

"I'll close the door; I knocked out the gangers so you should have no visitors. If everything goes according to plan in a few hours at most the local law should be here, I would fort up in here if you don't want to run for it. Go, stay here and barricade the door, those are your choices, I can't make it for you." Ash said as he closed the door and walked down the hallway, stopping to give a savage kick to one of the gangers on the floor before he quickened his pace. _I have to find the girls before their put somewhere like that; I can only hope I find Serena and Lilly in time!_ Ash thought as he stalked through the hallways.

"Just when you think you reached the limits of the evil of humanity you seen something like that and you realize you haven't even reached halfway down there yet, hu gang?" Ash asked softly as he led the way down the hallway. He had seen thieves, murders and people out to conquer the world, but why were the smaller groups that were always the sources of such vileness?

"Pikachu."

"Froakie."

"Fletchling."

His Pokémon agreed as they followed his trainer. Ash just let his thoughts run wild as he moved, stopping when he heard a commotion ahead of him. Around the corner thundered ten gang members and 1 Heracross, 3 Pinsirs and 2 Beedrill.

"I THOUGHT I HEARD SOMETHING! ALRIGHT BRAT! You've had a good run but I'd surrender if I were you and maybe we…won't…kill?" The leader trailed off as he saw the face Ash was making and the glint in his team's eyes when they saw them. He backed up into the squad he had lead and went white as

"Oh, hello well timed targets, shall we get to it?" Ash said as he smiled as Pikachu sparked, Froakie formed a water sphere and silvery crescents started to from by Fletchling's wings. The gangers started to pale as Ash and his team walked towards them, moving backwards as their own Pokémon started to cower behind their trainers even though they all outnumbered Ash and his team.

"N n now just surrender and I promise we'll let you go with no further problems, alright?" The leader asked shakily as he looked at the _monster_ that was stalking towards him with three Pokémon as backup. _Not even the boss on his worst day has this kind of presence, what did we do to make him so mad!_ That was the only thing going through his head as he heard his men start to whimper.

"Leave him for last; we can _question_ him after we're done." Ash said before he and his team charged at the gangers.

Lilith moved down the hallway, hugging the wall as she did so that no one would bump into her, no matter who they were when people ran they usually ran down the center of the hallway to force others to the side, a lesson she had learned the hard way once or twice that her teacher had thankfully trained out of her. One thing for sure, this always made it easy to find what was important in enemy buildings, just make a distraction and follow the runners. Hearing a commotion ahead of her she saw a few trainers in green shepherding a few girls in maids outfits down the hallway.

"Come on you idiot, we gotta get these dames to their rooms before we get back to the boss, the way that intruder has been going through us we have to hold him at the throne room." One of them snapped at the other as the girls followed obediently.

"Think this is connected to the…what happened to the boys in the monitoring room?" The other asked as he looked down the hallway for anything, not even seeing anything he moved on, Lilith moving silently behind them, just in range to hear them.

"No, the boss only gave the orders around the same time it happened; there is no way that the intruder is connected to that." The replay caused Lilith to pause. _What are you talking about boys, and can I use it?_ Lilith mused before she heard the next words.

"So far what the intruder is doing is knocking out and moving on, he isn't killing anyone so I think there's no way he has anything to do with the deaths of our guys, but maybe he destroyed the equipment." The other nodded at what he heard and stared ahead of them. Lilith stopped dead, someone had killed people and destroyed the room they had to monitor this place, so that was why she had escaped so easily.

"To bad about it though, one of them owed me money, guess I'll take it from his stash." His comment caused the other to give a laugh and a look of contempt.

"He owed everyone money, I doubt you ever get paid." The only replay this gained was a glare as they moved, Lilith meanwhile stayed where she was, thinking about what she had overheard and panicking on the inside. _An intruder that's not killing, Ash it has to be Ash. This is like when the boss destroyed that slaver base and left them alive, 'Death is to light a sentence on such crimes, I want them to suffer before they go to judgment.' Guess some things are a matter of blood, if I wasn't already convinced about who he is._

The two gripped at each other as they moved down the corridor, the girls following them oddly silent as they moved down the hallway until they reached a nondescript group of doors that the girls walked to, 5 to a room and after the last one closed the two turned to each other.

"So back to the throne room or the other place?" The second one asked the first, prompting him to stare at him in a total dead look.

"The other place in the basement stupid! Didn't you hear him say to bring the blond to him there?" The first asked exasperated with his friend.

"Oh lay off me, you know I had the night shift. Say, did they tells us where they put her Pokémon and that spear thing she had?" The second asked causing to just move on ahead. Lilith smiled, this was something she could use and maybe she could….

"Of course they didn't need to tell us! It's where they always put their possessions!" The first said with a snort.

"Why we don't sell their Pokémon I don't know." The second said with a huff.

"Cause then we'd step on the toes of those people who deal in the black market. Why won't you just wakeup, it's all hands on deck sot start thinking!" The first said before he heard a thumping sound and turned to see the other one passed out on the floor. While he looked around to find what had caused it something wrapped around his neck and he was pulled forward. He stopped when a hand grabbed his neck and he saw Lilith smiling at him, her eyes dark. He tried to breath and

"How about you tell me where my friend's Pokémon and weapon is? And maybe I won't break your neck for being a part of this travesty?" Lilith purred as she held him off the ground. The ganger stared at her in total shock.

"How'd you get up? We take girls to Imitation and they stay asleep until we wake 'em." He wheezed. Lilith tightened her grip and forced his eyes to meet hers and he started too sweat as he saw the look in her eyes.

"Don't think about that, think about what I want to know." Lilith said as she looked at her prisoner. He gulped as he tried to think about what he could do to get her away from him.

Lilith giggled softly as she dashed down the hallway; she had knocked out the ganger she had interrogated and had been able to make it to where he had said and was carrying Serena's naginata on her back and Fenniken's Pokéball on her waist. _This is perfect, I have her weapon and her partner, now all I have to do is find Serena, we find Ash and break out of here and call the cops to shut this place down hard._ Lilith stopped when she saw three gangers charge down the hallway and smirked, jumping and willing her hands to glow black as she used another Aura Tech, she struck two of the three as she passed over their heads and as she landed she drew and struck out with her whip, knocking out the last ganger before she moved down the hallway.

"But nothing says I can't cause them some trouble before we escape." Lilith said with a giggle as she tried to find Serena and cause all the problems for the Buzz Lords she could before then.

Ash stared down at the leader of the group he and his team had just curb stomped as Pikachu jumped down onto Ash's shoulder and Froakie and Fletchling stood on either side of him as Ash stood over him. The man was trembling, Pikachu had taken out most of the enemy's Pokémon and knocked out most his group and Ash had dealt with the rest in minutes.

"Now I know you have your reasons for doing this but really, do we have to do this?" He pleaded as he looked up at Ash and prayed for mercy. Ash looked at him flatly and decided to hurry this along. He had dealt with a lot of people like him on his journey, a show of force sometime broke people and they were quick to tell him what he asked of them.

"Two girls were brought in earlier today, one was brought to General Initiation, the other was brought to your boss, where are they?" Ash demanded flatly as he locked eyes with the person on the floor.

"The black haired one was to be sent to General Initiation, it's up a floor and towards the back, you need an an antidote for what is used on people brought there. The other one the boss asked for, he has a room in the basement where he has people brought to him to to talk to. They're inb both of those two places or they're in the throne room towards the center of the building. That's all I know so can I go now, please? And just me, you can do what you want to the others." He begged as Ash glared down at him. The one thing Ash hated more than people who hurt others was someone who abandoned his own.

"Pikachu, knock 'em out." Ash said flatly, causing the guy to try and escape, only for Pikachu to shock him into unconscious. Ash shook his head and moved down the corridor, Pikachu nudge the smoking body and shook his head before he followed after Ash as the others followed them. After a while they reached a wide doorway with a plaque above it saying stage access. Opening the door he looked to see what looked like the side of a stage, thankfully no one around and a large throne in the center. Ash looked at his team who nodded at him and they moved into the room, Fletchling going high and taking a circle of the whole room while Froakie stayed in the shadows and Pikachu stayed by Ash. After a few minutes they gathered back together and went towards a door that had the word stairs above it.

"Lilly's up and towards the back, Serena might be down. Damn it, I can't choose who to save, if I leave one of them alone then the other might get hurt." Ash snarled as he leaned against the wall.

"You don't need to save me Ash, I can save myself." A female voice said causing him to turn to see Lilith walk towards him with a smirk on her face and Serena's naginata on her back.

"Lilly, thank Arceus you're okay! But how'd you get away from them, are you okay? The guy I talked to said you'd need an antidote do to what they used on people!" Ash said with relief that Lilly had gotten away.

"I guess I have and immunity to whatever knocked us out. I woke up before they brought me to wherever that was and I was able to find out that Serena was brought to their boss. You go first and I'll come down after, if we find a fork in the path we'll take them both." Lilith said as she looked at door.

"Follow me Lilly; Clemont should be here soon with the police before too long. If we're lucky we can save Serena and find a place to hold out until they get here." Ash said as he led the way down, Lilith followed a moment later, not letting her thoughts show on her face. _Great, just great. It's a good think I took that one's short term memory when I questioned him. Still I hope we can leave sooner than later after this, I so don't want to answer any questions in an official interview._ Lilith thought as she followed after Ash.

"Why the hell did I want my armor to look like this again? I had a reason for it but I just can't remember it." Rex muttered as he finished setting the armor on his right shoulder as the stood before his throne and wondered why he had commissioned such large spikes to be on his shoulders. He looked around and notice that only four gangers come when he called for all members to join him in his room, he would have wanted more of them but beggars can't be choosers, he was just about to give a speech when a commotion to the front of the room caused him to look up and saw Serena being brought into the room by two more members. He let his eyes wonder over her body and he had to admit that Ash had good taste. He thought that he had seen Serena somewhere before but dismissed it as unimportant. Serena meanwhile glared at Rex as he released two Pokémon and picked up two lances. The first he released was powerful looking dark green dragonfly Pokémon with four wings, two on each side and large red eyes. The other was menacing looking humanoid hunched-over arthropod with a light purplish inner body and a silvery exoskeleton with a bright purple antennae converge forming a mask with its two small eyes. Below the neck are three pairs of arms, the two frontal pairs of arms are thin, each one tipped with a sharp, black claw. The rearmost pair of arms is the largest, and ends with two large, purple "hands" equipped with two large claws each. Both moved to stand by their trainer and Serena choose that moment to speak up.

"So what do you want from me? And where's Lilly?" Serena demanded as she struggled against the people holding her. She was surprised when Rex started to laugh so hard he had to plant the lances into the ground to stay upright. It actually took him a few minutes to catch his breath before he looked at her.

"You? Nothing; you're nobody, just bait for the person who beat Viola. I was going to offer you as his own personal servant after I had you _initiated_ but I think I'll just beat him and force him to serve me that way instead. Maybe I could use the both of you to reinforce your Initiation. And the girl who was captured with you is having a **wonderful** nightmare that will end with her entering my service." Rex said after he stopped laughing. Serena went pale when she heard why she had been captured before she went red in the face.

"He'll never work for you, and why'd you dress up then, to try to scare him?" Serena demanded only for him to chuckle. W _hat's his deal? What the hell are they, the way he's talking he's more than a gang leader. I have to find some way to escape from them, I just have to._ She thought eyed the two people holding her, trying to find a way to get her arms out of their grip.

"No I got my armor on because your boyfriend is here and making a mess of my followers. He's already gone through at least a third of them already." Rex said causing Serena to stare at him. She was so shocked that she stopped struggling. _I knew Ash was strong but this strong? He's doing this because I was captured; he really lives the old man's virtues, doesn't he?_ Serena thought as she looked at Rex's two Pokémon. She knew what the Yanmega was but the other was a total unknown, it wasn't from Kanto or Kalos, so where the hell did he get it. Rex followed her gaze and laughed at her look.

"Don't know what that one is, do you? This is my Golisopod, my strongest partner and ace. I can't wait to beat that punk into the ground, that'll take all the defiance out of him." Rex said with an evil grin on his face as Serena looked at him with a glare on her face. A commotion from the door to the room caused both of them to look as the body of one of the gangers crashed through the door, breaking it and through it stalked Ash holding his sword and shield in both hands with Pikachu on his shoulder, Froakie by his side, Fletchling flying through the door to hover above him as he looked around the room. He saw Serena being held and his glare centered on the two holding her, causing one of them to loosen his grip, something Serena noticed as she shifted a foot towards the other one.

"Serena are you okay? " Ash demanded as he looked around the room. Rex looked at Ash with a smirk on his face. This was perfect, he was strong, forceful and brave; a perfect second in command! Now to get him to heel….

"So we finally meet Ash Ketchum! I am Rex Tristo, master of the Buzz Lords! Our strength in unrivaled among all of Kalos but one thing we were lacking is someone who could strategize! I had a basic plan for my goals, wondering where I could find someone who could shoulder this burden, and I have finally found him, you! I saw your match with that whore Viola the other day, with those skills added to the Buzz Lords, we will be unstoppable! Join me and together we will conquer this continent, bringing it under our power! Serve me well and there is nothing I won't give to you!" Rex exclaimed as he gestured at Ash as the other gangers in the room looked at Ash, waiting for his reply. Ash only snorted and shook his head and looked at Rex with such a look of competent that Rex was taken aback.

"Man, you hear one would be conqueror, you've heard them all. Still you are the only one who wanted me to join him. So here's my counter offer, surrender to the police and you'll probably only get imprisonment for a while." Ash said, causing Rex to stare in shock before he went red in anger. He couldn't believe that Ash had actually refused him, more that

"You pathetic fool! This base is so secret that the local law enforcement will never find us! And if you think you can break out on your own with her, I'll still have the other one! So surrender before I do something to your friend that you'll regret!" Rex bellowed. Ash merely smirked at him and stepped to the side before a whip shot from the door from the hallway the striking the one still holding Serena's arm strongly. It hit his hands and he reflexively let go of her, giving Serena the chance to grab the other one and throw him at one of the four other gangers and run towards Ash as her living missile brought both of them to the floor.

"STOP HER!" Rex bellowed, causing the gangers to start to move to grab her when an Ember attack shot from beyond the door way and hit one before another whip strike hit the other.

"Serena, catch!" A voice called before a long stick was towards Serena, she caught it without realizing it was her naginata, and she spun it around and slashed the blade down, scoring a hit on one of her pursers forcing the others back. Lilith came running into the room and stood beside Serena; Fenniken then came charging towards her trainer, stopping when she was between Serena and Rex, snarling as she stared him down. Serena looked at Lilith and smiled as Rex stared in shock at her.

"You okay Serena?" Lilith asked as she watched the gang members start to draw out their weapons as Rex's Pokémon started to stare down Ash's. Lilith looked at Rex and noticed that he had a look of confusion on his face at her presence but saw that while his Aura was active he wasn't using it and seemed to have forgotten about it. _Strange, why would he….oh great someone pulled off the old mind trick on him, I think Kalos just became more complicated._

"LILLY, you're okay!" Serena exclaimed with happiness as she realized who was next to her. Lilith smirked and looked right at Rex before she replied.

"It takes more than whatever they use to knock us out to keep me down for long! And idiots like these guys always use the weak stuff." Lilith smirked as Rex just stared.

"I'll still beat you all and then I'll see how much of your skills are still there when I'm done Ash! And for the police, they'll never find this place! The people who do know where this base is are too involved with making money off of us to bother with something like _justice_!" Rex declared only to be met with a look from Ash that shut him up.

"Like my friend Clemont, who I told where you are and then went to tell Officer Jenny personally?" Ash asked with a smirk on his face as Rex went pale. _He did what. No choice then, time to activate my contingency._

"You made me do this, I didn't want to. Remember, this was because you forced me to do this." Rex said as he pushed a button on his throne. Ash looked up when they heard a large and savage looking shrill and then looked at Rex with a hard look on his face.

"WHAT DID YOU DO?!" Ash demanded with a glare as cries started to echo down the hallway. Rex only answered the glare with a smirk.

Glasses woke up and looked around, wondering how he'd gotten there before he remembered what had happened. He paled as he looked towards the theater and started to sweet as he saw the carnage on the inside, the people on the floor and the wrecking. He was in such a state that he never even heard cars stop and people getting out of them. He never even noticed that people were walking towards him.

"That brat with that Pikachu! I can't believe he did this. This is bad, this is so bad. If he's strong enough to do this then the boss might do **that** , I gotta get outa here, the boss…Rex'll kill me when he figures out I told that brat anything." Glasses muttered as he got up and backed away from the broken door.

"Rex, would that be Rex Tristo, the person who disappeared when he was passed over for Leadership of the Gym?" A voice behind Glasses asked. Glasses's was so scared he never even noticed that someone had asked a question, he just answered as he looked at the broken door.

"Yeah, you can't go a day without hearing him talk how Viola stole it from him. But we gotta move, we can't be here if….someone….else?" Glasses trailed off as he realized someone was there and slowly turned his head and went white when he saw Officer Jenny, Clemont, Viola and a lot of police officers who were looking around at the scene. Clemont grabbed Glasses and pulled him towards his face.

"Where are the two girls that were brought here earlier?!" He demanded as he glared at the gang member started to splutter. The others looked at Clemont and Jenny nodded at two of her officers.

"Inside! But we gotta get outa here! Rex has a contingency plan if things go belly up like this! And it's to cause enough destruction that he could take over! A way to throw doubt on Viola's eligibility to lead the gym and cause enough carnage that he could get away with killing her and her sister to 'stop' it." Glasses said as he tried to struggle out of Clemont's grip as the others listened to what he said as the officers started to round up the gang members on the ground.

"So Rex was responsible for the Buzz Lords, out of all the people it could have been I wouldn't have chosen him as the one. I mean I knew he hated me for taking what he considered his but all the crimes they've done, he always spoke about law and order, I just can't see him being involved." Viola said quietly as she stood with Jenny who nodded. Some officers had come to Clemont and taken Glassess from him and was leading the ganger towards the vans.

"I thought he had just gone to take over his family's business. But he's been the leader of the Buzz Lords for the last few years? He wasn't even on the radar of possibilities; no one even spoke his name as a possible. He gave no impression that he would create some kind of gang because of his being passed over. And he's a member of the old nobility that used to rule around here two." Jenny mused as she watched the building with a critical eye, taking note of the wide windows on the front and the gargoyles above it. _If he is the boss I need to talk to a judge about a search warrant for his house in the residential section. This might be enough to put him away but if there's any evidence there then the case would be even tighter._ Jenny thought as she looked over the front of the building, trying to see if anyone was looking at them from it. Viola frowned as she looked around and turned to Jenny.

"Isn't this the old dinner theater that went out of business a few years back, and then didn't someone use it to run a counterfeit operation?" Viola asked as she followed Jenny's eyes. Jenny gave the area a once over and let her memory go back and realized that Viola was right about where they were.

"Yeah, the rage they displayed when they resisted arrest, the damages it caused led to the whole neighborhood going out of business; I remember how a lot of them tried to stay open. Didn't they all add the gargoyles on their roofs because they could open their mouths and drop things just for their going out of business party the neighborhood had to 'really go out on a bang' as one of them said?" Jenny asked as she started to feel like something was going to happen and looked around. Viola looked up and stared at the gargoyles, hoping the feeling she was getting was wrong. _What's bothering me about those statues? What am I seeing that I can't register, is it something about the size of the mouth… Wait, those mouths would be big enough for…._ Viola went white as she figured out what her instincts were telling her.

"Say Jenny, do you know how long a Pokémon can last in a Pokéball before they need to eat?" Viola asked shakily as she looked upwards. Jenny looked at the gargoyles and noticed that the mouth seemed particularly larger and a different color from the rest of the statues. Suddenly the mouths of the gargoyles opened and seven Pokéballs dropped from them and hit the ground. From six of them came an even mix of Pinsirs and Scythers who looked at the humans around them hungrily, but the real problem was what came from the seventh ball. The Bug Pokémon that was released would normally be a large, moth-like Pokémon with four small feet, compound eyes and small four feet on its 'chest' but with white fuzz on its top and red horn-like structures on each side of its face this specimen with six orange wings with black spots of them, but the appearance of this one was anything but normal. Its right eye was a pale white and the horn on its right was smashed, its fuzz had scares of pale skin in random patterns and four balls of fire appeared around it as soon as it appeared. Viola stared in shock at the creature before them and whispered a single sentence, identifying just what was before them.

"That's a Volcarona; the sun Pokémon." This was the only thing she could say before the Volcarona gave a savage shrill and the other Bug types charged at the people in front of them as Volcarona breathed a blast of fire at them.

"What I did was release a few Pokémon I… _prepared_ for this kind of situation, wild beasts that know only to kill; in fact I conditioned one especially for this. I would hate to be your friend and whoever came with him; of course if no one is there they'll just go into the town and find people there to kill. So thank you Ash, the carnage will decide my fate one way or another!" Rex said with a dark chuckle as Ash stared in total shock before he started to glare and grit his teeth. He gripped his sword tighter and Pikachu started to look at the two Bug types and zeroed in on the white one, he would take that one down for his trainer.

"Girls, I'm sorry but could you handle the others, I need to talk to this _person_ for a while." Ash said as he walked towards Rex. Serena and Lilith shared a look and nodded at each other and faced the four gangers in the room as two of them were helped to their feet.

"We've got this Ash, you handle him!"Lilith called out as she stroke with her whip. Golisopod saw Ash move towards its trainer and tried to stop him when a bolt of electricity shot between it and Ash, causing it to turn and look at Pikachu who stared it down as Froakie and Fletchling moved to back him up, only to stop when Pikachu raised his tail.

"Pika! Pika Pikachu chu." Pikachu ordered the others and locked eyes with Golisopod.

"Froakie!" Froakie called out as it formed a water sphere and shot it at the Yanmega. Yanmega hovered higher and fired silver crescents at Froakie, only for them to be intercepted by crescent blades of wind.

"Fletchling!" Fletchling declared as it hovered above Froakie, daring Yanmega to attack them. Yanmega flew at them like a bullet when a few small orange sparks hit its right side and forced it down to the ground, burning it as well.

"Fennekin!" Fennekin declared as it joined the other two staring down Yanmega.

Serena blocked a blow from one of the gangers with a club and spun her naginata around, slamming the blunt end of her weapon into his head, sending the ganger to the floor. She had sent Fenniken to help Froakie and Fletchling when she realized the gangers didn't have any Pokémon, why she didn't know but she wasn't about to look a gift Ponyta in the mouth. One of the other three gangers charge at her with a hammer but a strike from Lilith's whip scored a cut above his face that caused him to close his right eye and fall back with his hand over his wound. _We're a good team, she wounds em and I knock'em down. All we have to do I last long enough for Ash to finish their leader._ Serena thought with a smirk as she looked at the other two gangers who still had weapons and frowned when she noticed that one of them was backing up towards a corner with a tapestry on it.

Pikachu dodge a glowing purple stab from Golisopod's right arm and spun around and hit it with its tail glowing white and striking Golisopod's body, the blow sent it to its knees. Pikachu barely had a second before Golisopod spat a stream of brown sludge at him forcing him to dodge to the left as he tried to get behind it.

While this was happening Ash had been trading blows with Rex, catching the spear trusts with his shield and sword and trying to use his mobility against Rex reach. Rex stabbed forward with his right and Ash spun to the right and slashed down at the right lance, Rex twisting his arm upward, dodging Ash's slash by mere centimeters. Rex laughed as he moved backwards and grinned with a crazy edge to it as he looked at Ash.

"You are strong as both a trainer and a warrior! Once I beat you and bring you to my way of thinking you'll led my forces to conquer!" Rex said with a crazed gleam in his eyes.

"As if!" Ash snarled as he moved in and slashed at Rex as he tried to get in closer. Rex just laughed and dashed backwards and grinned savagely.

"You'd think so, but you won't be the first trainer I beat then drafted them, FLASH!" Rex roared startling Serena, but Ash, Pikachu and Lilith closed their eyes merely a second before Yanmega took action.

"YANM!" The Yanmega cried as its eyes released a blinding flash that stunned Froakie, Fenniken, Fletchling and Serena. Rex looked on as his followers started to snicker, their boss flash strike strategy always worked.

"Get them!" Rex screamed as he moved forward, thrusting forward with his left lance as Golisopod moved to strike Pikachu as the gangers moved in. Suddenly Lilith struck out with her whip, score blows that forced the gangers back while Pikachu dodge the blow from Golisopod and struck back with an electric bolt! Ash parred the blow from the lance and pressed forward, scoring a hit on Rex's right arm that forced him to drop his left lance and grab the wound, blood coming from between his hands. Serena blinked her vision back and moved forward, spinning her naginata as she moved in with Lilith beside her

"You don't think you're the first person to try and blind me, are you?" Ash asked with a smirk as Rex stared at him before he released a roar and charge at Ash. Ash dodged the blows as he moved backwards until he dashed in, blocked a blow from the remaining lance with his sword and bashed his shield against Rex's face. Rex stumbled and grinned idiotically before he crumbled to the floor!

"Yanmega!" Rex's Yanmega cried as it turned towards Ash, giving Froakie the chance to jump at it and slam a sphere of water against its right side the same second Fletchling sent two silver crescents of energy against its left side, the force of both attacks sent it to the floor! Pikachu parried another purple blow from Golisopod with a white glowing tail before a blast of fire hit Golisopod's back sending it stumbling forward. Pikachu looked up and saw Fenniken glaring at Golisopod as Froakie and Fletchling surrounded the Bug-Type. The Golisopod roared but blasts from the four Pokémon caused it to faint.

Serena slammed the blunt end of her weapon down on the head of one the gangers as Lilith used her whip to pull one of them towards her to deliver a blow with her fist that knocked him out. Serena looked towards Ash and smiled when she saw that he had knocked out Rex and turned when Lilith gave a sharp cry.

"Where's the other two!? They never got by us so where are they!?" Lilith demanded as she looked around and Serena glanced around and noticed the tapestry on the wall was fluttering. She clicked her tongue and gestured towards the tapestry when Lilith looked at her, receiving a nod and moving silently as their Pokémon and Ash moved towards them. Lilith raised her hand and held up three fingers and slowly lowered them until on the last she pulled the tapestry down, revealing a passage that slopped upwards.

"The other two must have escaped when Rex caused that flash. You two go ahead, Froakie, Flechtling back them up. Pikachu, with me, we'll carry this one with us." Ash said as he gathered the tapestry. Lilith shot a look at Serena and both girls nodded at each other.

"I'll help you wrap him up, you make sure no one surprises us Serena." Lilith said as she moved to help Ash as Serena took up a guard position with Fenniken standing next to her.

Clemont dove behind one of the buildings as a blast of fire hit where he had been standing as his Bunnelby threw blasts of mud at the Volcarona as the officers tried to handle the Pinsirs and Scythers as Jenny's Manectric fired bolts of electricity at the Volcarona as they all tried to survive. Clemont watched as the balls of fire intercepted the mud and electricity as the Volcarona fired streams of flame down at them, Viola and her Pokemon were doing what they could to keep it from sparking a fire on the buildings but it was a losing strategy, as soon as the inside of one of the buildings caught fire, it would be hard to stop it.

"Yeah, we're by the old dinner theater, that's where their base was! They've released a mad Volcarona with a pack of bipedal Bug Pokémon! Get the Fire brigade on standby before you get over here! It's gone mad! I don't like it but we might have to take it down preeminently!" Viola was hollering into her Pokégear as she hid behind a building as her Vivillon hovered protectively above her as her Surskit fired bubbles at the one of the four fireballs, but the heat caused the water to evaporate before it reached the balls. Clemont looked at the wounds on Volcarona's body and cursed as he looked at it.

"This is insane! What did he do to that Volcarona can't be called civilized! When I get my hands on him!" Clemont snarled as he looked at the abused Pokémon. Viola turned her 'gear off and looked at Clemont with a dark look.

"It wasn't but I think it's rabid, we don't have a choice do we?" Voila said as she looked at the Volcarona and Clemont sighed and nodded.

"No, I don't think we do. Bunnelby, Mud Shot, aim for its left eye!" Clemont commanded. Bunnelby looked at is trainer and nodded and jumped out from behind the building, firing as it moved hoping to hit. One shot of mud hit one of the balls of fire, causing an explosion that caused a splatter of flaming mud to hit the Volcarona's good eye and it screamed in pain, the other two balls of fire moving erratically as it fought to stay in the air.

"Vivillon, while it's distracted, charge Solar Beam and fire at the right eye!" Viola cried, Vivillon flew upwards and started to gather sunlight in a sphere above its head when one of the balls of fire shot at it and exploded when it hit the Pokémon! Voila watched it fall to the ground and barely grabbed Vivillon's Pokéball before Volcarona regained its barings and fired a blast of fire at the downed Bug type.

"Vivillon return!" Voila cried, the beam hitting Vivillon seconds before the fire hit where it had crashed. Clemont stared at where the fire had hit and looked at the Volcarona and realized something. _He wouldn't he couldn't. But that's the only thing that makes sense about this_

"It was trained to kill and only to kill. A defeated opponent is only a target that can't move to it." Clemont said with shock before he gained a glare that caused Voila to freeze for a second. _In Arceus name, what did Rex do it that thing?! What the hell was going through his head when he thought of this, did my becoming the Gym Leader really affect him or was he just good at hiding what kind of person he was?_ Voila stared at the Volcarona before she shook herself back to reality at the Volcarona screeched and two more balls of fire formed and started to orbit the Bug type.

Bunnelby had moved back to hide with its trainer as Clemont looked at the fireballs as and scowled. _Those fireballs aren't a normal move, what did he do to that Pokémon, how did he teach it to use them?_ Clemont's thoughts ran in circles trying to figure out how he and Voila would _survive_ when a pull on his pants from his Pokemon caused him to look down and give it an encouraging smile when he saw the worry on its face.

"We'll survive this partner, I promise." Clemont said right before one of the fireballs shot and hit one of the Pinsirs, barely missing the Police man who jumped backwards from trying to corral it.

Darcy looked on from the top of a building away from the commotion with a frown on her face as she looked at the chaos Rex had unleashed. She had to give him credit where it was due, he had hidden his final card very well, she hadn't seen a single impression that he had a scorched earth policy in case things went away from him to the extent he would be captured. She looked towards her Zoroark and made a decision.

"Looks like we need to get involved like that masked idiot does in Lumiose girl. Go charge a good blast and when you've got a clear shot hit it in its head, than I want you to get out of there, and meet me at Rex's place, we have to finish up dropping the last few pieces of the puzzle." Darcy said as her Zoroark shot her a look that made her trainer chuckle at her as she reached over and scratched its right ear.

"Relax girl we're far enough away and I'll be heading to ground level and make for the town's southern border. Just dart in and strike and then get back to me and we go to Rex's place to drop the last puzzle pieces." Darcy promised her Pokémon who nodded. Zoroark turned and moved towards the edge of the roof and jumped to the next roof, running as soon as it landed, moving ever closer to the Volcarona as it gathered power. Darcy looked on for a few seconds before she turned and ran for the fire escape, hoping to do what she said that she would be able to slip by the police.

Serena and Lilith came out into an alleyway behind a damaged building, looking around for anything that might attack them. Ash and their Pokémon followed, Ash carrying Rex's body wrapped in the tapestry. Ash looked up and frowned when he noticed a glow farther back towards the right. _That was a long passage, we've probably moved from at least three miles from where the base is. That over there, that has to be his contingency plan, I can't let the girls get hurt and Lilly doesn't have her team with her. Froakie and Fletchling should stay here, if this scum gets away after what he did, he'll be ever worse or have no limits on what he would do._

"You two stay here; I'll check and try to help out if it's as bad as I think it is. Froakie, Fletchling stay here and help keep that one locked down." Ash said as Pikachu jumped onto Ash's shoulder before Ash moved towards the fire.

"Ash, no you can't go alone!" Serena said before Lilith grabbed her shoulder. When Serena looked back at her Lilith only shook her head.

"He and Pikachu have the experience to help deal with whatever this scum let loose and we have to watch him." Lilith said as Ash ran towards the light, praying that he would be okay. _Even if you not who I think you are Ash, you're one of the good ones out here. You'd better be okay._ Lilith thought as she and Serena started to guard Rex.

Ash ran and looked upwards, hoping that he wouldn't see any fires on the buildings and that Serena and Lilly would be okay. He looked up as he came towards where the sound was and saw Policemen being attacked by Bug Types, a Volcarona that looked abused rampaging and there was Clemont and Voila.

Pikachu, get high up there and use Thunder!" Ash commanded as Pikachu jumped off his shoulder and started to climb up a nearby pipe he jumped to. As Pikachu moved upwards Ash raised his shield and moved towards Clemont.

"Clemont, what's happening!" Ash demanded as he huddled with Clemont and Voila. They turned towards him in shock.

"Ash! Wait, where are the girls!?" Clemont demanded as soon as he saw him. Ash pointed back the way he had come and smirked.

"Back there keeping watch on the boss of these bastards. And I really can't wait to hear about what'll happen to him for _that_. Pikachu will attack from above; we just need to take this thing down." Ash said as he looked at the Volcarona as it screeched. Ash looked as a bolt of electricity hit the Volcarona. Volcarona screeched and two of the fireballs orbiting it flew towards where the blast had come from. After the blast hit the roof another blast of electricity shot towards Volcarona but the last fireball intercepted it. It screeched and another fireball formed when suddenly a blast hit the deadeye from the side, blasting apart its good eye and sending it to the ground where it whispered for a few seconds before going still as blood poured from the wound. The other Bug types ran away, each of them running towards the outskirts.

"All officers with ID end with even numbers, after them, don't let them make it to the center of town! All other go into the restaurant and start rounding up the Buzz Lords!" Jenny called out as

"Pikachu, find where that blast came from! The girls are over there back about three miles behind a building with a broken red sign on a post." Ash called as he started to climb up a ladder, Jenny and Voila following him as Clemont ran towards the girls. Pikachu jumped onto the building Ash was climbing and moved towards where the blast had come from and when he got onto the roof he started to sniff the air. Ash got onto the roof and moved towards Pikachu and helped Voila and Jenny to get onto the roof. He saw Pikachu with his tail raised up and moved towards him, dropping besides him and looked at what he had found.

"What is it?" Voila asked as she and Jenny joined Ash and watched as he picked up some red fur and handed it to Jenny.

"A Pokémon with red hair that could fire a Hyper Beam, afraid that doesn't narrow down the lists down does it, and heck it could have been wild." Ash said as he walked back towards the roof's edge.

Jenny looked at the fur and removed a small evidence bag and put it in it, before she looked towards the edge and saw police van's coming towards the area, the reinforcements that she had called for cleanup, and beyond them were two fire trucks. She watched as he started to climb down, Pikachu jumping onto Ash's shoulder as he climbed.

"You and the rest of your group are going to the hospital Mr. Ketchum, do you understand me!" Jenny called out as Voila went next. They never heard the patter of feet as something moved about the roof and jumped away.

A large helicopter flew through the skies as clouds moved above it. In the cockpit of the helicopter a humanoid figure wearing a mask over its face and in a robe looked out the window and moved away, leaving the cockpit empty of anyone as it walked towards the hold. Finally the figure reached a door and opened it and entered. Inside 6 three foot tall humanoid forms were being held up by scaffolding descending from the ceiling of the room. At one of the humanoids a second figure in a robe and mask was finish manipulating something in the humanoid's chest and turned to the figure that had just entered the room.

"Final data-slave to Observer installation finished. All mobile units ready for operation/LHT01." The second figure said robotically to the first. The first looked over the figures and turned to the second.

"Observer upgrades and installation of cleanup module finished to parameters?" The first enquired as it turned back to the second.

"Affirmative, time to reach site less than 5 minutes. All know local combatants loaded into hard drives of test units. Directives if trainers or others encountered included as per last revision of operation plan. "The second robed figure said flatly as the helicopter started to slow down as they reached their target zone. The helicopter slowed down and descended to hover above a clearing far from any human made structures. As the helicopter hovered over the area six coverings opened on the underside, from which the six humanoids were lowered to the ground. A shaft of moonlight caused the figures to be seen by anything that was watching. The figures were robots that had a single camera lens on their head behind a glass visor that covered the top of their face while their bodies were colored a uniform grey. They had normal looking arms with a box on the tops of them and four fingers in a cross formation with an opening in the center of both palms. Their legs had two wheels on both sides of them for a total of four and the front of their feet were a sharp blade. The robots dropped the last three feet to the ground and their camera lens started to pan back and forth until the six units started to charge into the woods. As the units charged off a metallic saucer detached from the side of the helicopter and flew off in the same direction as the units{[Observer]}, silently recording everything they did. In a room within the helicopter the vision of all six robots was up on six monitors as the two robbed figure watched in total silence as they recorded all the data.

"So far real world data of unit performance follows projected values. Data based on weapon performance only unknown factor." The second said as they watched the units move through the underbrush.

"Real world combat data retrieval one of reasons for test. Local life forms will test all parameters to necessary extent to allow for design limits to be shown." The first observed as the units came upon their first targets, a wolf pack 15 strong eating the remains of a wild pig. The monitors started to display bio data the sensor data from the Observer on the over watch.

"Life forms designation Canis lupus feeding on killed life form Sus scrofa, suggestion battle with emotional motivator." The second said flatly to the first. The first looked at the data on the wolves and sent a command to the units in the field. The monitors cycled through the individual wolves and stopped on three pups that had been shielded from the sight of the camera by two of the wolves and the bio data on how healthy the whole pack was displayed alongside the pups. After a few minutes of looking over the data a wolf on the screen turned towards the camera and growled, causing the pack to look up from their meal and the one of them, the leader to stalk towards the units.

"Affirmative, combat incentive approved. Send directive to begin with motivational incentive on youngest target." The first said as a targeting icon highlighted one of the pups.

The leader growled at the units as the other members of the pack started to move from the kills to the sides of their leader, backing it up. As it growled at the robots the front one raised one of its arms towards the pack. Something passes by the leader's muzzle a second before two of the pups cry out and starts to whine as the pack turns to the noise, see the smallest pup collapsed on the ground, a red hole in its head. The leader stares as the two other pups start to nudge the third, before it bares its teeth and howled before it sprang at the units, half the pack following the leader with the rest running away, grabbing the two pups as they ran away from the battle.

The leader charge alone at the one that had fired a shot as each of the other units found themselves under attack from two wolves each. The Leader barreled into the unit that fired and pushed it to the ground, snapping at the face of the unit. It moved its arms and grabbed the wolf, the wolf struggling to get at the head. The unit tried to get the leader off it but the wolf used it front legs to keep the units arms down and kept trying to bit through the arm that had fired the shot that had killed one of its own. The unit's self-diagnostic showed that the arm was near the point of being torn off and choose an action that might have saved it. A micro explosion went off in its shoulder and was pushed off the main body, the wolf overextended itself and went lopsided, freeing the unit's remaining arm and with a swift motion it grabbed the wolf's head amd fired a point blank shot, killing the pack's leader and looked toward the other units. Two of the other units were down, one of them had its head torn off the body, and the other had its legs torn off and the last three the units were back to back, firing shots at the wolves as they circled the units, one of them was missing its right arm and all three had scratches and gorges on their bodies that sparked, showing internal circuits in places. The unit raised its remaining arm and shot three quick shots, killing two of the wolves and wounding two more. The wolves saw their leader was dead and dashed off in different directions disappearing from the sight of the units. The other three units converged on the first and waited in a diamond formation looking out into the woods as their masters conversed.

"Unit strength at 60%. Action choice limited to either continuing the test or retrieve units and return to base. Test has shown upgrades needed to design, combat has not followed projected outcome. Redesign of unit is recommended." The second figure stated to the first as they watched on the monitors, two of them black with their data source inactive. The first robbed absorbed all the data coming in and noticed an alert from the Observer and made a decision.

"The recovery of the test units was not prioritized as critical part of test, pushing design to limits is greatest priority. Scanner data shows two high combat life forms moving towards battle site. Test units are to attack with Alpha Strike and Observer unit is to fall back to medium range of data slave and return when unit strength drops to below 16%." The first ordered, causing the units to leave the kills in the clearing. Orders sent the view screens on showed the units moving off into the woods, moving in the direction of what the Observer had detecting, the units preparing themselves for combat

After the sounds of the units had died down; a bush by one of the dead pigs moved as a small looking Goblin got up and looked upon the carnage. It had been hoping to grab something to bring back to its Sire and when it found the wolves feeding it had hoped just to get away alive. It looked at the dead wolves and moved towards the dead pup, looking it over and started to claw at the hole the unit's shot had made, if it wanted to get the credit for the kills, then it {[Salvager]} needed to doctor what kills it brought back, not much but enough to make the others think that it had killed them.

Broken Sting thundered through the woods as Dark Flare guarded their back as they moved towards where they had heard the howl from. They had been looking for a place to spend the night when they had heard the howl and moved to investigate. They had begun moving when they had heard it, they had run into the pack they thought it came from and anything that could cause the pack's leader to howl like that had to be faced while it was hurt if, if the two of them waited for it to recover then **they** might be the ones who would be killed next! When they came across part of the pack, they didn't even reacting to their presence as they charged by, ignoring the wolves as they barreled past them. Dark Flare saw something ahead of them and dodged to the left, an instant telling it to dodge something that hit a tree behind it, creating a circular indentation in the tree. Four grey figures were revealed to the Chimera, one only had one arm and it was raised in a line with the damaged tree. Dark Flare wasted no time and fired a blast of flame from its mouth at the figures, but the one with only one arm lunged to the side and aimed at Broken Sting, the others stopped moving after the flames hit. Broken Sting wasted no time and fired two blasts of water from its claws at the grey figure and Dark Flare fired its own flames, joining the blast form Broken Sting, after they stopped firing they saw the figure was now nothing more than a mass of melted something that smelt unappetizing. The two Chimera looked at the other three figures still not moving and Broken Sting poked the closest one, sending it backwards into the others, all of them falling to the ground. Dark Flare looked at Broken Sting and both sent a feeling of confusion towards the other before they moved on.

They finally reached a clearing with a dead pig and the corpses of two wolves. Dark Flare looked at the ground and saw blood splatter on the ground and showed two sources of blood were dragged away into the woods away from where they had battled the grey figures. Dark Flare sent a feeling of confusion to Broken Sting, where was the leader, it hadn't been with the others and it wasn't here, so where was it? They looked around and turned Dark Flare motioned towards the wolves and Broken Sting sent a feeling of 'no' towards it, they would leave the wolves where they were, they had stayed behind to either avenge the source of the source of the blood on the ground so they would leave them where they had fallen. As the two of them moved out of the clearing, Broken Sting grabbed the pig's corpse as they passed, waste not wants not after all.

After they had left the area Deadeye walked into the clearing from the direction of where it had been watching the battle the two Chimera had with the grey things. The Flame Horn that its sire wanted dead had a good leader, but it was as weak as the fool Protector. But the grey things had caused a hole to form in a tree far away, another kind of those _things_ the grey creatures where it had eaten the fruit had, something to look into. Deadeye looked over the corpses and grinned, they had left such good food behind and it could use them, it walked towards the remaining wolf bodies and spat some of the black liquid onto one and took a bit from it, it _sensed_ what the wolf could give it but choose to not change at all quickly consumed both corpses before it started to walk back towards its sire's cave. It would lose all the chances to kill its sire if it _changed_ now but it would hunt down the rest of the wolves in the area in the future, it would take what it sensed from them latter. Deadeye walked away from the clearing, never noticing while it had been eating that the Observer had been watching it before the Observer had left.

The large helicopter moved off from where it had been hovering and started to move backwards on the course it had flown. The Observer flew towards it and docked, within the craft the two figure were moving cataloging all the data.

"Test unit current configuration is inefficient in current configuration. Critical weakness identified, internal circuitry need to be protected from damage that breaches unit-armor. Secondary weakness identified; close combat ability below projected values. Tertiary weakness, armor two weak to handle combat. Possible improvements; increase in movement abilities, increase in reaction time, close combat weapon, increase in armor strength or change material used. " The second robbed figure said as the first stopped and looked over the data collected on the wolves. It looked at the wolf pack leader as it charged at the camera and went over the combat data and made a decision.

"Possible weapon platform identified. Test results to be logged and possible improvements to be planned on test unit for next live test. We shall return to base to begin." The first robbed figure said as the helicopter traveled silently through the sky.

Riley lead the way with his Lucario as the five of them moved down the mountain, Cameron was watching their back and Brock and Rosette were in the middle of the party as they moved as fast and as safely as they could. So far they hadn't been attacked by anything but so the mountain was silent so either the animals detected danger or they were all dead.

"We've got to find them soon!" Brock snarled as he looked over his shoulder as he followed the people who had saved him down the mountain. The Chimera that had retreated still left a bitter taste in his mouth but he had to find Yuji, Kunz might have killed him by now. And he was still feeling weak from _whatever_ had happened to him earlier. Looking at his waist he cursed that he had only brought three Pokémon with him, if he had only brought Crobat or Ludicolo with him, then he might be able to do more!

"Don't worry Brock, we'll find them and get off this mountain, or at least we'll set up camp somewhere where we can defend ourselves." Riley's words caused him to look up and sigh. When the four of them had left the campsite they had heard a few cries farther up the mountain,

"It's not just that, a hurricane is due to hit soon, within the next few days if we're lucky, tomorrow if we're not." Brock said as he navigated down the path, not noticing that Cameron had stopped and paled in horror.

"A hurricane, you went up here knowing something was wrong when a hurricane was coming?!" He demanded as Brock nodded at him. The other two were looking at him, waiting to hear why Brock had taken such a risk.

"The number of Chimera was a surprise I admit; I thought at most it would be a small group of them. But the hurricane was why I'm here in the first place." Brock said as they walked towards a small forest on the mountain plateau.

"How so, what caused you to come up here?" Rosette asked as she looked around for any sign of the Chimera that had attacked them had returned.

"A spore is causing an outbreak among the Pokémon in Viridian City, wind patterns showed the source was up here. I dealt with something like that before and the source was a Chimera that used them to hunt, so I thought it might have been something like that. The wind was the only thing that could account for the wide spread infection and the fact that it was the worst near the mountains was the final point to it. If we didn't have a cure or eliminated the source before the hurricane hit the area, I don't want to guess what could happen." Brock said grimly as they moved towards the trees.

"How bad is the outbreak?" Rosette asked in worry her sister was in Viridian damn it!

"It's been debilitating so far, but so far it doesn't seem to be terminal thankfully. The symptoms are different for each species of Pokémon, but the one thing is that they can't move because of how weak they are. We found a Chimera that looked like it came from the same source as those things that attacked my camp before you arrived, and the same as what attacked your cabin Ms. Zargo." Brock explained before they heard something ahead of them.

"Incoming! Everyone get off the path!" Riley bellowed as he grabbed Rosette and Cameron grabbed Brock and they jumped to the side out of view of anything coming at them while Lucario jumped into a tree and was ready to strike at anything. After a few moments a rider on a Rapidash came into view that caused Brock to stiffen.

"That's Kunz, why is he alone?" Brock asked with worry. Cameron pulled out a Local Gear and pressed a button before he passed it to Brock gestured to him to speak into it. Brock shot him a look and Cameron swiftly explained.

"Master Riley has a throw away one set to broadcast; he just threw it to a bush near him. This is and old trick we've used before to handle wild animals that we had to hunt, this way we can test just why he's alone, trust us with this Brock." Cameron whispered at him, Brock looked down at the Gear and made a decision.

Kunz rode his Rapidash through the woods with no care to what might get in their way. Already since he had left Yuji to his fate they had run down a few Pokémon, no doubt trying to escape the Chimera, now that had been _pleasant_. _Hopefully that Gym brat put up a long enough fight to buy me enough time to get away or those wild things will be enough to feed them. If everything is working perfectly then she will be around here to get out of this nightmare mountain!_

"KUNZ, Where's Yuji!" Brock's voice came from a bush ahead and that brought a savage grin to his face. _So maybe I could handle Brock after all. I always like it when I could finish them and watch their flesh burn to ashes._

"Rapidash, Fire Blast! Full power at that bush; let's roast him!" He commanded with a cruel tone. His Rapidash breathed a full stream of fire that had only just hit the bush before a ball of blue energy missed them by inches from above as a trainer glowing blue burst out of cover from the opposite direction and aimed an open hand at him and fired a blue sphere at him. He hugged Rapidash's neck, dodging the sphere and wincing when he felt something pass by his head, hearing the sound of a bullet hitting a tree to his side. _An ambush! They must have been with that failed Gym Leader! And that one's a wilder, I gotta get out of here and tell the others!_ He thought with worry as he looked and noticed a Lucario in a tree lining up on him and his Pokémon.

"Flame Charge, we're out of here!" Kun roared before flames envelope him and his Rapidash as they increased speed and blew past the area, dodging bullets and blasts of energy as they went. Kunz let the flames die out before he looked back and snarled as he realized that Agalia had failed, and that a wilder was with Brock! He had to get back and worn report what had happened, the ability to use Aura can't become basic knowledge, that would led to the downfall of humanity, that was against all that the Order had fought against for years, he wouldn't fail!

Brock looked where Kunz and Rapidash had speed off to and shook his head. _I had hoped they were wrong, but if I had called out to him he would had had his Pokémon attack me with lethal intent, and it obeyed without a thought! Just who the hell did Karin send up with us?_ _Once was a surprise, but twice is enemy action. I'm going to be looking over my shoulder for months._

"So they were working together, and here I was hoping she was alone." Brock said as Cameron patted his shoulder. Riley and Rosette came towards them. Riley had a frown on his face and a resolute look on his face.

"I'm sorry Brock, but I need to ask where those two came from and how they joined you're expedition." Riley said with a hard solemn voice. Brock just sighed and looked at him, wondering if Riley and the others would believe who had sent them.

"They came on the recommendation of Karin of the Elite Four. I know how hard that might be to believe…." Brock said only to stop when Riley started to shake his head with a scowl.

"Not as hard as you'd believe Brock. I'll tell you why when we reach safety. We need to find this Yuji is, but we can't risk our safety we'll keep looking but we have to get out of here alive, I'm sorry." Riley said with a hard look on his face. Brock looked like he wanted to argue but he could only nodded at Riley's words.

Yuji looked behind them as he and his Rhydon ran through the woods, they had left the clearing and he had been worried that some other group of those things would attack them. So far they hadn't been yet but he was had seen enough of them back at the cave that he was concerned that they might have sent another party after him. He was worried about the way that explosion had happened after whatever or whoever had happened to kill the Chimera's leader. All he had to do was make it back to Brock and get off the mountain and tell the League to send in the Calvary. A _ll I have to do get this information and sample to back to the League, and then I'll stay in Viridian and help defend the town against the Chimera up here. There is no doubt in my mind that there is a connection to the outbreak with the Chimera here, I've seen at least four different variants of them so it's not too far out there for the source to have been another strain we haven't seen yet. And then there's that bastard Kunz, why the hell did he do that!? Who the hell does he work for that he had to kill me! And how long will it be before they send more of themselves after us, are they trying to get that larger one somewhere safe first then they'll come at use? What is that thing to them; listen to me, as if they can_ _ **plan**_ _of all things! 'Chimera are nothing more than mad beasts waiting to be put down' yeah right! The way they fought in that clearing casts a lot of doubt on that fact!_ Yuji thought with a snarl on his face as he led the way through the forest, hoping that any stray sound he heard wasn't one of those things leading a group against them.

Sounds ahead of them to the right caused him to signal his Rhydon to stop moving. He moved as quietly as possible and stopped at a tree to sneak a look at and saw an unknown man in blue with a Lucario and gritted his teeth. _Is he one of Kunz's friends? We haven't seen anyone since we came up these mountains. So who the hell is he?_ Yuji gripped his mace and wondered if he should attack him when the bushes behind him moved and Brock led two more people out of it. Yuji sighed with relief and cleared his throat loudly, causing Brock and the others to turn and see him. Brock seemed to decompress a bit and looked relieved at seeing him

"Yuji, thank Arceus your safe! When we ran into Kunz I feared he'd killed you!" Brock exclaimed in happiness.

"All he did was have his Combusken fire a blast above a cave and bring the mountain down on a group of Chimera that looked a lot like that corpse we found at the Cabin farther down the mountain! We've got problems boss, these things have at least four variants, and one of them explodes when they die!" Yuji said as he waved back towards

"The campsite we were setting up was hit by a pack of them, made up of two variants, a few of those exploding ones leading at least five each of another variant. After the last exploder was killed the others retreated and then Agalia tried to kill me. She would've gotten away with it if these people hadn't come across the campsite!" Brock said as he kept just why she had wanted him dead from Yuji. He starred when Yuji's Rhydon came into view, carrying its cargo. Yuji saw what they were looking at and grinned at them.

"Yeah, I got away but not before five of them started to chase us. Fought our way to this clearing and the exploder held back and let the others attack us. Something killed it while we were dealing with the other four. This one was the most intact so we brought it back with us, figured that maybe you could learn from this like the other one." Yuji explained as he shrugged his shoulders with a smirk. A loud explosion sounded father back in the woods caused them all to tense and group back to back, after a few seconds Riley move in the direction of the path Brock and Yuji had gone up to come onto the mountain's plateau.

"Whatever that was we should move, if we have a sample of the other attacker strain then we have to get back to Viridian, we have to at least get the head back; I assume the brain is still 'good'?" Riley asked Yuji as the other started to follow behind him.

"Maybe, I stabbed it in the center of its head, fast and quick and partially so maybe it'll be okay. And he's right, we should leave this place, if that explosion is from a leader strain then any of the other things are no more then made animals now." Yuji said as he looked behind him, not noticing a branch high in a tree farther back moving up and down as if something had jumped off it.

Shadow had heard the same shrill and moved towards it through the trees as the others ran down the mountain. If the Chimera had found the group he would fight them off until he was sure they could get away, if the Chimera were attacking one of the two Order members then he would kill them and let the Chimera have the corpses for a meal. He jumped from tree to tree and stopped when he reached a clearing he stopped on the branch and looked down and swore in his mind at what he saw.

A Nidorino stood in front of an Alpha with five Warriors spread out behind it. He saw a crater behind the Nidorino with body parts from an Alpha nearby and an injured Nidorina was near the hole in the ground, trying to get back to her feet with one eye closed. A Clefairy had its hands on the Nidorina, releasing multiple multicolored waves of energy into her as it watched Nidorino stare down the Chimera. He looked over the scene and saw the corpses of five other warriors and noticed at the Nidorino had a few marks on its body, taking a quick look at the Clefairy and noting the wounds on it he nodded as he realized what had happened. _So at least two parties of these things were here, if there strength was the same as the one that attacked Yuji then it was a leader and four soldiers each, what was the target, the one of them or the little one. If it was the little one then these things are after a healing ability, that's all kinds of bad for everyone around here._ Shadow thought as he looked at the battle and noticed one of the Warriors was backing up, seeming to retreat but from where Shadow was he saw a path around to hit the Clefairy from behind. _Time to step in._ He thought as the retreating Warrior had moved then feet from the confrontation between the Nidorino and Alpha and decided to intervene.

"Noivern, Rattata GO! Noivern, Boomburst on the three Chimera near the one with the horn, Rattata Flame Charge on the one trying to escape!" Shadow barked as he released his two Pokémon and jumped upwards, throwing the Pokéballs towards the ground, releasing them and when he landed he threw two throwing knives at the Alpha. Noivern's ears glowed white and a blast of powerful sound waves were shot at the three Warriors, blowing them away from the Alpha and the! At the same time Rattata charged at the other Warrior, its body being engulfed in flames as it charged and jumped at that the Warrior, the Warrior tried to dodge but Rattata charged through its right arm, severing it. Nidorino had hardly been ideal, as the Alpha was stunned for a second it opened its mouth and fired a purple dart that shot at the Alpha, but the Alpha moved at the last second to the right but its left eye was hit! As it looked around it noticed that the Boomburst had killed two of it subordinate and only had one arm left.

"KKKKRRR!" It shrilled and charged away from the area, the surviving Chimera following behind it. Shadow saw his two Pokémon were looking at the other Pokémon three in the clearing and saw the Nidorina moving to stand by the Nidorino as the Clefairy peaked at Shadow from behind the other two. He gestured at his Pokemon and moved towards them, dropping three Heal Balls before the wild Pokemon.

"Those three are Heal Balls, they'll help you all heal and make it so I can carry you down the mountain easier. Once you've healed up I'll let you go or you can decide if you want to go back to the wild or stay with me and my friends." Shadow said as he stepped backwards to let them decide on their own. He saw that the Nidorina and Clefairy were on the edge of doing so while the Nidorino didn't trust him. _Nothing to do but to show them all why they can trust me._ Shadow thought as he undid some of his armor, revealing his bare hands and willed a purple glow form around it to the wild Pokémon's shock. He clasped his hands together bowed to the three before he made a small vow.

"I swear by my power and by my heart, I will release you three when you are healed once we are off this mountain range." He said solemnly. The Nidornia nudge the Nidorino and when he turned to her she nodded at him before she walked and touch one of the balls, let it 'capture' her. The Clefairy jumped and dashed towards another ball and as soon as it 'captured' it the Nidorino sighed and nodded at Shadow before it walked to the last ball. As soon as the balls closed Shadow picked them up and put the three balls into pockets on his suit, until he held Nidorino's ball in his hand.

"Thank you for trusting me." Shadow said as he put Nidorino away. He recalled Rattata and gestured for Noivern to get down so he could get on its back. As Noivern took to the sky a crash to towards the mountain peak caught his attention, turning his head once Noivern started to hover he saw trees starting to fall in a line towards where he had left the expedition.

Agalia breathed a little easier as her Pyroar started to move over level ground, grass underfoot as they left the rocky terrain of the mountains. They hadn't seen anything for the last few hours and soon they would get within range of a signal booster so she could send the signal to a Cleaner in Viridian to deal with the other members of the expedition. _It was too bad that I couldn't handle that Gym Leader but I have to let the others know that a damned_ _ **GUARDIAN**_ _is still alive! I thought that the Order had killed off those heretics years ago! We lost half our leadership and still one of them is alive! Once milady Karin lets the others know her standing will rise higher than that whore and she'll let us kill that pagan and executed her bastard spawn! And I will rise higher with her, eventual becoming one of the Lords as she rises to become the Empress!_

Agalia was so drunk on the future that she never noticed an Observer was following her ever since she had used her Fire Aura abilities. As they passed the mouth of a side trail three figures in body suits on motorcycles raced after her. One of them pushed a button on one of their bikes handle bars and a blast of electricity shot at Aracanine, but it jumped over a log in the path and the shot missed, hitting the log and destroying it with a boom!

Agalia turned her head at the sound and paled as she saw the group riding after them. _FUCK! Who the hell are these bastards, a gang out for an easy score wouldn't….what made that explosion just now? Normal bikes don't have weapons on them and they have no Pokémon out, so how?!_ Agalia thought as she looked over her shoulder. She was shocked when she saw a bike fire a blast of electricity from the light on the front.

"Pyroar; dodge to the left, now!" Pyroar lunged to the left as another ball of electricity shot by them. The bikers chased after Pyroar silently, and when it tried to go onto uneven ground to escape them the bikes speed up to decrease the distant between them as Pyroar thundered on, trying to get away from their pursers. As they dashed past trees and rocks she looked back and cursed as the bikers kept pace with them. _Who the hell are these scumbags!? Where'd they get their transportation, was that an Elecro-Ball launcher? Who are they to have tech like that!_ Agalia thought as she tried to make as small a target as possible as more balls shot by her head as they tried to escaped the bikers.

Suddenly a ball hit them from the front, shocking them and causing Pyroar's legs to lock up and trip, throwing Agalia to the ground as the riders surrounded them,

"So you got us into a battle, we'll I won't be easy prey! Burn them all, Turtonator!" She roared as she released a large bipedal, turtle-like Pokémon with a spiny shell with fin-like projections on the shell and tail and had muted green skin on its head and limbs. The bikers looked at her and drew forth black balls that they threw and released two Blastoise with metal spikes around the mouths of their canons and arms that ended in metal spears and a Golduck with reversed metal legs and large claws between its fingers on both hands. Agalia looked at the Pokemon as her Pyroar tried to fight off the paralysis and while his trainer stared in shock. _What the hell are these things, who are these bikers?_ She took a step back as she looked at the creatures facing her as one of the Blastoise aimed one of its canon and shot a blast of water at Turtonator as the other one shot a pale blast of energy at Turtonator from its arms that froze the Fire Type in a block of ice. Before she could react the Golduck was next to her and pierced her body with the claws and delivered a shock that knocked her out. The Golduck moved towards Pyroar and repeated the action it had done, knocking out the Pokémon as one of the bikers moved and pulled out a small container and drew out two syringes that it injected first the trainer, then her Pokémon. A large truck pulling a container with eight wheels came towards them and pulled up. From the truck four Machokes that seemed to be wearing armor on its limbs came and loaded up Agalia and her Pokémon into the truck and as the doors closed the bikers recalled their Pokémon and drove off, guarding the large truck as they moved into Johto.

The party had been moving towards the pathway Brock had lead his group up the mountain earlier, moving faster as they heard crashes in the distance. Riley looked back and cursed when he saw a tree fall at the edge of their sight. _If that's another Chimera group like Kunz this situation is a lot worse than I thought. We have to get the Intel back to Viridian, it's the closest city and the probably the swarms first target; we can't let them face it without any warning._ Riley heard another tree fall and looked back, seeing another, closer tree fall onto another and push it down and Riley forced himself to speed up.

"Brock, how far are we from the path you took to the plateau?!" Riley demanded as they ran. Brock looked around and then looked over his shoulder at Riley.

"We're almost there, a few more minutes and we made it!" Brock called back as the sound of another tree falling reached the group. Riley looked back and thought he saw a flash of black at the edge of his vision and made a choice. He stopped and drew forth a Pokéball and released his Lucario. When he heard the others stopping he turned and looked at them.

"Keep moving, I'll hold them off! Cameron, get them out of here and watch the skies!" Riley called and with a look of worry Cameron grabbed Brock and Yuji's arms and pulled them towards the path. Rosetta drew her guns and released her Aracanine, moving to stand next to Riley who turned his head to shot her a questioning look, only for her to scoff.

"I might not have been high up in the guards but I know tactics, we can hold them better as two and my guns could hit the leaders of these things, might take a few out and make it easier for us." Rosetta said as she aimed her guns into the trees and started to fire into the woods. An explosion a few seconds later a Warrior head flew through the air to land before them. Riley looked at the head before he looked up and readied himself, forming a glow around his hands and feet as 4 Warriors charged at them from the woods.

Brock looked behind him as the explosion, never stopping as Cameron pulled him along.

"Come on Brock, Master can handle a few Bugs; we've got to get away so when those two fall back we don't all die!" Cameron said as he pulled Brock along, fighting to keep his face from showing how worried he was.

"What did he mean by watch the skies… tell me those things can't fly!" Yuji demanded as he followed after the other two. Cameron gained slight winced before he replayed.

"We've only come across one of them when the two of us rescued Rosette, so we don't know how many of them there are." Cameron's words caused Yuji to look behind him as they moved along, a feeling of worry in him as they moved. It didn't help that with every step, fading out and fading in second by second, he could _feel_ something _above_ them. Yuji looked at Rhydon and noticed his Pokémon was on edge and was looking around. He snapped his head towards a _feeling_ ahead of them and blanched at what he saw.

"Well there's four of them ahead of us!" Yuji said, causing Brock and to stop and look forward and saw four Chimera that looked like normal Warriors with only two legs and bee like wings{[Warriorfly]} hover in front of the path downward looking towards Viridian. At Yuji's cru]y caused them to turn and start to move towards them slowly. Cameron reacted fast and released two Pokémon as he willed a blue glow to form around his hands

"Ferrothorn, Lucario lets fight! Ferrothorn stay back and protect the guy with the hammers, Yuji, I need you to back us up!" Cameron said as his Lucario dashed and jumped at one of the Warriorfly and jumped at it, spinning as it did so to deal a devastating downward kick at its target, cracking the Winged Warrior's head as it connected. The other three Chimera flew upwards and started to fire Poison Needle attacks at the party, with Ferrothorn forming green screen the needles bounced off. Yuji saw the Chimera start to move towards the open air and cursed as he realized what they were doing, and then he realized _how_ they were doing it.

"There's one of the leader strains around here, we need to find it!" Yuji called as he started looking around as Rhydon looked away from the Warriorfly and started to look for the Alpha leading the other Chimera. Brock looked around as he held his hammers and cursed Agalia for her sneak attack, if he still had his team they could have helped out more. Suddenly something crashed into him and pushed him to the ground. He looked up into the face of the Alpha and dropped his hammers to grab the Chimera's arms to keep them from piercing his body. As he struggled he saw Cameron move towards him when Yuji stopped him.

"When those things die, they exploded, remember?! We've got to get it away from Brock without killing it!" Yuji said as he looked at Brock as he struggled with the Chimera. _Yeah, no kidding but that's going to be harder than it looks! I have to keep these stingers away from me and not die by killing this thing._ Brock thought as he tried to keep the Chimera from biting him. None of them noticed that Brocks eyes started to release a brown glow before glowing rocks formed around his upper arms and hands, forming a hard covering around his hands and down a bit of the Chimera's stingers. Brock's eyes widened and as the Chimera tried to move at him closer to bit at him but the rocks covered limbs refused to move. _How the hell did that… did I do this?_ Brock wondered as he looked at the rocks covering his arms and part of the Chimera's stingers.

"I'll slice, you throw Noivern!" A voice called out before something sliced through the arms of the Chimera and a black shape that flashed by over Brock's head and grabbed the Alpha and threw it into the open air. Before the Chimera could recover a knife hit its head and as it fell away it exploded. Brock was in shock as the rocks on his arms slowly dropped off as he looked up and saw a figure in a black covered bodysuit move his arm away from a throwing position and looked at him as his vision darkened.

"Brock! Rhydon Stone Blast multiple targets, fire" Yuji cried as he and Cameron saw Brock collapse to the ground. Rhydon roared and three rings of glowing white rocks formed around its body before the rocks shot at the flying Chimera, piercing the bodies of two of them and scaring the other two off. Yuji turned to look at Brock and saw Lucario leap to land between Brock and the bodysuit wearing figure, Yuji moved to check on Brock's health as Cameron moved to stand by his Lucario. The figure raised its hands before it spoke

"Don't be too hasty, I'm a friend, who do you think killed the leader when they corned your friend in that clearing." The figure said as it drew a knife and showed it to them. Yuji stared as he remembered what he found before he and his Rhydon left clearing with the remains in their possession.

"You killed it, I never saw you, were you spying on me?!" Yuji demanded as he looked at the man as the Noivern took flight and flew back towards Riley and Rosetta. The figure moved after it before looking back at them over his shoulder.

"Not on you, the one who abandoned you after he poked the Chimera, I followed you in case you needed help. It's a long story as to why and I'll tell your group after Brock-san wakes up. And you two stay here; he needs someone to watch him as he recovers so I'll go help the other two. And please, call me Shadow." The named Shadow said as he moved into the darkening gloom, Cameron and Yuji only looked at each other as Ferrothorn moved to stand by them.

Riley bashed another Warrior as he looked at the battle. Rosetta was still blast away, but has signaled that she only had a flew clips left, the first four Warriors had been dealt easily with then eight more had charged at them and then Arcanine had shot flames at one of them, but it missed and caused a wildfire to start, but thankfully that cut off anymore reinforcements but the wind would blow the smoke towards them soon. All they had to do was survive the Warriors and hoped they could make it before the fire got them. He threw himself to the sides as a Warrior jumped at where he was, missing him by inches. He looked at the battle, seeing Lucario using Bone Rush in both of its hands to bash Chimera while Rosetta shot at a Warrior tying to stab at Arcainine on the same side she was on and frowned for a second, he didn't understand what he was seeing before he realized what the Chimera were trying to do. He looked at Rosetta and cursed as he saw her dodged _away_ from Arcainine before he called to her.

"There're trying to divide us! Stay with your partner! Lucario get to them!" Rily's call caused Rosetta to look at her partner and shot at a Chimera that tried to move between her and her Pokémon, blowing off the Warrior's right lance at the shoulder. Arcainine bit down the Warrior's neck and threw the body at another Warrior before it fired a blast of fire at one more that was trying to charge its trainer, hitting it right in the face, destroying its eyes. As it struggled and shook itself Riley jumped and sliced down with a right, cracking one of the lance of the blinded Warrior and jumped off it, landing next to Rosetta who shot the blinded Warrior, hitting it.

"We haven't taken out a single one of their leaders, how are they seeing this to command them?!" Rosetta snarled as she put one of her guns away to get a new clip into the other, firing as soon as it clicked in. _She's right, where are those things!?_ Riley wondered as he looked around. Two of the Warriors started to move towards them when two streaks flew past them and the two Warriors slumped to the ground! He looked and Riley saw two throwing knives stuck in their foreheads, dripping their blood as the bodies lay there. Riley stared as something jumped through the smoke as a Noivern suddenly appeared and sliced through two of the Warriors with white glowing wings. Two explosions behind the fire proceeded the last two Warriors to start fighting each other before two knives hit them in the back of their heads as a figure in a black bodysuit landed before Riley and Rosetta. As the Noivern made soft noises at its trainer, the figure reached over and rubbed its chin before recalling it to its Pokéball.

"Thanks for all your hard work partner, you deserve a nice rest." The figure said as it looked at the Pokéball. He looked at Riley and waited.

"Who are you?" Rosetta demanded as the figure turned to look at her.

"I'm called Shadow, and to make a long story short since we don't have the time since one of those things leaders got away; I was up here spying on the two people with Brock-sans group who used Fire types. I saved the other three from a leader that got by you two or was already there waiting. Currently Brock-san in unconscious and we should get out of there range, fast." Shadow said as Riley looked at him. Rosetta looked like she would continue but Riley put a hand on her should, shaking his head when she turned to him.

"Fine, once Brock's up you will explain." Riley said as Shadow nodded and moved towards the trail down the mountain.

Cameron looked up as Shadow walked back towards them with Riley, Rosetta and their Pokémon following Shadow. Cameron started to speak but Riley held up a hand.

"Our friend here told us what ambushed you, you did great Cameron. Help me get Brock onto Aracinine and we can get off this mountain." Riley said as he moved towards Brock. Cameron looked at Shadow before moving to help get Brock on the Fire type.

"At long last we're departing on our maiden voyage; finally our future begins right now!" Squall declared with a smile as he felt his ship move under its own power as they finally left dock. He had to wait for the blockade that Lynda had caused but he would bring that up to her the next time he saw her. He walked around his ship's deck as he looked over the harbor; smiling as he listened to the engine's growl as the ship sailed on. It had taken years but they were finally under way! He had chosen a small crew and everyone had to pull double shifts but it was this was all theirs! All they had to do was make it to their destination and get another cargo and the wide ocean was theirs to explore.

"You're in a good mood Squall." A humorous sounding voice caused him to turn to see Doubar looking at him with a small smile on his face.

"Why wouldn't I brother, we're finally underway, our destination isn't too far that the time we weren't sailing that we might still with time to spare, giving us a great reputation for our new lives!" Squall said with a laugh as he walked towards the bridge.

"We're carrying basic building material my friend, a simple government job that we only got because the other captains want cargos that make them profit, with all our expenses at the end we'll probably have enough to pay the docking fees for a month and keep us feed while we look for a new cargo." Doubar said as he looked at his captain who only laughed.

"And what do we care for profit my friend? We have the ocean and our ship, all we have to do is get enough money to survive and I'll be happy! And we'll be free and away from everyone who wants to get us, so there's that too my brother." Squall said as he looked over the harbor as the ship moved towards the mouth. Doubar only shook his head before he released a sigh.

"Of course you would. Anyway, its soup tonight so make sure your there so you can have something. And your right, it'll be good to get away from all the people we made mad when we made the money to get this ship of ours." Doubar said as he walked towards a door into the ship. Squall looked at where he had gone for a few minutes before he walked towards the railings and looked over the harbor as he walked towards the stern. _I can't deny that I'm happy we can finally leave that town. The way_ _lord Rodruss has been eying me ever since we caught those slavers, I just don't like the way his eyes make me feel. Still, if I can keep sailing maybe I'll find out who I am and where I come from._ Squall thought as he stopped and looked over the water as he sighed. He saw a three young boys sitting on a peer and thought back to his youth in the orphanage and how he'd always been drawn to the sea, how he always longed to be on the ocean. He just sighed and turned towards the back towards the prow when he stopped and slowly turned and walked to the port side. He had felt something on his back and once he stopped he locked eyes with his oldest foe, Francisco El Yutra who stood on the deck of his own ship. He and Francisco had fought against each other since their first day of school, him an orphan who didn't know his heritage and Francisco the grandson of a Lord who died fighting a Chimera. _It didn't help that Frany has a sense of entitlement that everyone is just a stepping stone if they can help him and worth nothing if they stand against him or can't help him. The little brown nosier sure could suck up like the best of them._ Squall thought as he locked eyes with Francisco until his ship moved him beyond the edge of his vision and Francisco disappeared. Squall turned and walked towards the galley.

Francisco watched as that _orphan runt_ sailed away as he stood on his ship. That fool had always a pain in his side, and the only one who bothered him more was that pirate bitch! He snarled as he walked into _his_ ship and saw the people working on it, when that old fool had handed him the papers for the ship he had invoked part of the insurance on it to give it a full overhaul before he took her out to sea. And he needed to get something to handle that pirate bitch and get a crew with the right _sensibilities_ and then he will start to build his power. A cruel smirk grew on his face as he walked through the hallways; yes he just had to find the right crew members, people who weren't like….

"Mon Capitan, there you are!" A cheerful voice came from behind him and caused him to gain a scowl on his face. _Out of all of them, why did this fat orphan_ _fool stay, why couldn't the right short stay instead._ Francisco thought as he turned and faced the speaker.A small roundish figure with blond hair and a mustache dressed in a black uniform with a black cap walked towards him with a smile on his face. Demetrio was the only member of the crew that had stayed on when the ship had changed hands, even though he had strongly hinted that he wasn't needed. The man had stayed when all the others had left, citing loyalty to the ship and captain. The fool had been moving about, collecting reports on the progress of the repairs and observing it.

"The head says the engine should be fully installed by dusk, and the galley will be finished by tomorrow. They finished inspecting the bottom and there were no damages to repair, and the holds will be ready by the end of the current shift. Should I go and set up notices or will you be going to the sailor's union to interview crew candidates' sir?" Demetrio asked as he saluted Francisco as he stood at attention. Francisco merely glared at him and walked off, Demetrio following in his wake.

"So what you're saying is that we can leave port as soon as the day after tomorrow if we only had a crew ready?" Francisco asked as he led the way towards the captain's office. Demetrio nodded as he followed his captain, then realizing he couldn't be seen spoke up.

"Yes Mon Capitan, but I think it might be a bit hard to find anyone who will want to go pirate hunting who haven't signed up for service already, given the time of year." Demetrio said, causing Francisco to stop for a second before he resumed walking as he realized it was the beginning of the school year and recent crack downs would have put the gangs into a 'holding pattern'. _Where am I going to get the kind of people I want to serve on my ship? This might be harder than I thought when I accepted this ship. Dud the old man know this, was this a part of his plan? To see how I would handle this kind of hurdle?_ Francisco thought as he entered a bare office and sat behind a simple desk. Demetrio stood at attention and look out the office's only window before speaking.

"Yes that's true. Put up a notice at the union and maybe we'll get luck and get a large enough crew that we could leave port. While you're there look into any cargos or rumors that might spark that witch's interest. And get back before midnight, understand?" Francisco commanded Demetrio saluting him before he turned and walked to the door, stopping as he opened it.

"Did you see Señor Squall's ship leave port Mon Capitan? I don't think a lot of people will be happy he won't be around for the next city wide tournament, a few people spoke of wanting to try him for the title." Demetrio said with a cheerful tone of voice that caused Francisco to look up with a scowl. He had lost against Squall in the last tournament and he had to admit the chance to take him down being gone was something else to be mad about.

"Yes, yes, people won't be happy that he won't…..People won't be happy. Don't bother going to the union, I'll tell you where to put up the posters tomorrow, go get dinner somewhere." Francisco said as he leaned back as a grin formed on his face. _That brat has a habit of making enemies and he broke a few gangs here or there, I'm sure the remnants would be happy to sign up to take their trade out to see. And there are a few individuals that escaped from him, and they could be quite a game changer if I'm able to get the right one or two. That maker or that caster, then I might just…._ Francisco's thoughts trailed off as a savage grin formed on his face as he waved off Demetrio.

Demetrio looked back at the ship and gained a savage grin on his face as he walked off. _It's like mamma always said to me, 'there's no fool like a prideful fool'. I thought that I would have to dangle that idea for a few days before the idiota took the bait. But I never thought that he'd let me handle the recruitment, that will make step two so much easier. And now all I need to do is call on my own forces to crew and once that fool captures the sea witch and then kill them the both of them. And then I'll be one step closer to killing the lord of this city or taking over for him before the invasion._ Demetrio thought as he walked towards a bar with a spring in his step.

"Must we put so much effort into just having supper with my father?" Nudara asked as one of her maids finished touching up her make as another one brushed her hair.

"My apology's milady but we have our orders; your father wanted a trial run before the party." One of the maids said as she moved away and let her see how she looked in the mirror. Her hair was free and curled, while she had on golden lipstick and eye shadow. Taken in with her golden dress she was sure she would sparkle. _Beside how dad likes to dress me up, most people wouldn't think he has nothing more than a bad sense of style, if I didn't know about his 'side business' I'd think he was just an eccentric._ She thought as she stood up and walked towards the dining room. As she walked she eyed the Maids, noting the marks that identified them as Homunculus as she moved by and kept her expression blank as she moved, showing none of her feelings.

She walked towards a door and two of the Maids opened the door to reveal a long room with a long rectangular table with a black tablecloth on it, she looked towards the far end and saw her father sitting at one of the only two chairs, a place set beside him for her. She walked towards him and spun around when she reached him before sitting down.

"You look marvelous my dear, I'm certain you'll make a wonderful impression on sir Magnus at the party!" Sadri Don Rodruss said as he raised a goblet in her direction before taking a deep sip. She smiled demurely before starting to eat as well.

"Father, while I was coming into town I noticed the port was on lockdown, did something happen?" She asked absentmindedly as she ate, keeping her face blank as she watched her father scowl out of the corner of her eyes.

"Pay it no mind my dear, merely a problem with _Nightsprout_. One of my ships was raided again and I had the port locked down to see if we could find any of her spies. Nothing as usual, I'm at my wits end trying to find that witch!" Sadri said as he fumed as he ate.

"But did you have to invite _him_ father, I thought after the last time Lady Camilla and her student came you wouldn't invite him again?" Nudara asked point blank, causing her father to stare at his daughter for a few seconds before he realized who she meant.

"Oh, _him_ , I ran into him while I was talking with one of my customers and he learned of the party and told me right in front of my associate that he and his sister would be there, quite loudly in fact and to save my business I had to replay loudly that I will mark him down as coming. Quite shrewd of him I would say." Sadri said with a sigh. Nudara kept her poker face on as she ate and noticed one of the new maids was bringing in a teapot that she poured into her father's cup

"I noticed a few new Homunculi around the garden; did you get a good deal on them?" She asked as she cleaned her face. Her father smiled and started to laugh a little.

"Oh yes I did and I'm currently looking into if the creator will come to my employment, the products were quite good." He smiled, never noticing that his daughter's eyes were locked on the maid for any kind of reaction to her father's words.

"Will anyone else of note be coming besides Lord Magnus _him_ and his sister?" Nudara asked as her father stood up and she followed his lead.

"An associate who is a middleman between resource gathers near the Rest might be coming with his son. I say maybe because there was an…incident a few days ago." Sadri said with a slight frown. At Nudara's look he waved it off.

"Pay it no mind, I'm told nothing has happened beyond the initial incident. I want you to spend the next few days getting ready, I want you to make a good impression on Sir Magnus and whoever he brings with him, the prince is the target of the game now." Sadri said as he walked towards his office as Nudara curtsied to him and walked towards her room. As she walked she kept a graceful smile on her face as she went over what she had learned from him. _New Homunculi and a possible event in the Rest, I think I might try the gossip circuit during the party and see if I can pick anything up. I hope this party is as useful to my goals as I hope it will be._

Jenny looked over the trucks to take the last of the evidence and captives back to the station. Ash and the others had left a few hours back and Voila had gone back to the gym, leaving her to handle the cleanup. She smirked when she realized that at least she could handle Rex's interrogation after he woke up tomorrow personally. All that was left was to handle the last few trucks and look over the base for anything else to charge _And that's not counting the other various Bug type gangs and groups around the area; but if Rex was their overall leader then it might be worse before it gets better. But if they fight each other for power or position in their 'new' gang then it might be better or worse for the town._ Jenny let her thoughts die out as she got onto her bike and drove off, the trucks following behind her, never noticing that the last one had veered off course or the drivers weren't members of her station.

"This is perfect Jess! We got away clean and this time they won't try to go back to their trainers because they don't have any!" James said as he drove the police van towards the western outskirts of the city. It had been easy to knock out the drivers of the last truck and hide them away and quickly get into their cloths. Now all they had to do was get back to where they stashed the next part of their plan and they were golden.

"Yes and now all we have to do is dump this, transfer the eggs to our truck, get it to a city where we can sell it, put the eggs into stasis and send the key for them to the boss!" Jessie said with a laugh as she leaned back as Meowth chuckled as he leaned back against the seat as he looked forward and leaned his head back.

"And the best thing was I never had to tell the cops about where the hideout was, but I'm wondering who sent in that Weavile in." Meowth said with as Jessie looked at him as James's eyes widened as he tightened his grip on the steering wheel.

"What Weavile, and you didn't throw the rock!?" Jessie demanded as Meowth just sighed and shook his head.

"Saw a Weavile get out of a vent on the station's roof, then saw it throw a piece of meat up and swallow it, think it was an eye and I'm thinking human with the way they all poured out of the building before blondie tweep got there with the info." Meowth said with its arms crossed as Jessie looked at James who swallowed before forcing a smirk onto his face.

"That's worrying, but still, over 16 eggs to send to the boss, this is quite a feather in our caps chums!" James said with a glance to Jessie and met her smirk with his own. Jessie merely bit her thumb as they drove onward, her thoughts falling back to what Meowth had said. _An Ice-type as one of a Bug Gang? There's no way in hell. Why do I have a feeling this whole region is a lot more complicated than the boss thought it was?_ She thought as they drove onward.

Ash walked through the hospital towards a computer room and slipped into it and plopped himself down on an empty chair and released a sigh. Pikachu was having a snack with his other Pokémon and he had gotten away from the doctors while they were drawing blood from Serena after Lilly had kept them from getting any from her, something about how she'd never hear the end of it if her regular doctor found out. She had consented to sending a blood sample sealed back to her home and promised to tell them to contact the hospital once the tests were done. That had pacified the doctors and Ash had slipped away to contact his other friends, it was that time again to talk to his old companions. Login into the chatroom he noticed May and Dawn were already there and started to type.

WorldTraveler: Hey guys! How have you two been doing lately? Say heard from Rockdoc or Depthlover lately, know if they're going to miss our chat?

PastSeaker: Hey WorldTraveler, everything's great! I'm done with Unova circuit and got an internship with an archeologist! She's incredible and I can't talk about too much but wow! And no I haven't heard from them since our last chat.

PokeBaker: The same, the Pokémon Fashion tour is over for the season and I'm currently relaxing on a cruise ship bound for Kalos! A few months of traveling and quests before a show after something called the Pokémon Showcase Master Class happens.

WorldTraveler: I'm in Kalos, Santalune City Hospital to be exact. And there was another incident with a gang, again.

PokeBaker: Let me guess, they tried to recruit you, rob you or one of your current companying and got beaten down for their troubles.

WorldTraveler: Yes and no. They kidnapped a friend of mine and someone else while the girls were out shopping. They did so their leader could draw me in and recruit me to conquer this town.

PastSeaker: 'Girls' you say, what is there another member of the 'My Bike was destroyed by Ash and Pikachu club?

Ash gave a chuckle as he grinned sheepishly as if they could see him; he and Pikachu weren't that bad about destroying bikers, were they? Ash perked up when he noticed a popup saying DepthLover had loged in. G _reat, now if only Brock would get here then this might be a normal day after that hell with those so called Lords!_ Ash thought with a smirk as he read Misty's text.

DepthLover: Hello guys, how have you all been for the last month?

PokeBaker: hey DepthLover, WorldTraveler was just telling us how a **FEMALE** friend of his was kidnapped and he destroyed another gang to save her, say, have you heard from RockDock, there a reason he isn't here?

Ash just shook his head. Sometimes he had the hardest time understanding them. So what if Serena was a girl, if she had been a boy he would have done the same thing. If anyone took any of his friends then he would have destroyed them all the same. _But I think she means something else for the others to pick up on, don't know what but those three really get each other._ Ash thought as he tipped out his reply.

WorldTraveler: She wasn't kidnapped alone, someone else was taken too and they attacked my friend twice already! And yeah, where is RockDoc?

PastSeaker: Of course she wasn't WorldTraveler, of course that makes is so much better. So why's she traveling with you, did you destroy her bike too?

DepthLover: What are the odds something like that would happen for a third time PastSeaker, twice was enough! But I can't believe that this happened over the last few days when at the same time what happened to me did to!

WorldTraveler: No I didn't! She's and old friend that lived in Pallet during the last Siege and moved to Kalos for her mom's career after the Pokémon Racing circuit died! And what happened to you and Rockdoc DepthLover?

PastSeaker: You still there, nothing happened on you end did it?

DepthLover: Yeah, just getting my thoughts in order and I don't mind guy. So here it what happened to me, my sisters got me a surprise makeover when I thought it was just some pampering at a spay, found a girl under attack by three others who it seems were tortured to do so, discovered she was an orphan from an rather mercantile caretaker, took a field trip with the class whose teacher is one of my oldest friends and when we were there a swarm of Chimera of at least two kinds attack the whole beach, fought them off and got home to tell Jenny what happened.

Ash had gone still as soon as he read Misty's text before a glare appeared on his face. _Chimera's, always they turn up in the last places they should do. How the hell did a force of Chimera make landfall near Cerulean? Did anyone die or did they all escape. Misty okay so they probably did._ Ash thought as his fingers moved across the keyboard even as other messages came up onto the screen.

PastSeaker: Chimera, near your city, are you okay did everyone escape alive?

PokeBaker: Two kinds, were they different colors, any of them?

WorldTraveler: A swarm attacked a beach, were you alone with the class or were others there to, I mean Chimera usually pick off loners.

DepthLover: Now that you mention they were all black and what I could see they were all black and get this, they used steel barrels and the larger one the wreck of a car as armor.

WorldTravelerPM- DepthLover: It wasn't **her** was it Misty, don't tell me that bitch was still free after all these years!

DepthloverPM- WorldTraveler: Yeah, it was her. Jenny told me they never published it because she got away, Jenny even thought she might have been in the Orange Islands, one of the smaller one with her ill-gotten profits.

PastSeaker: I don't know how the League in Kanto is, but back home they would drag their feet a bit if Chimera attacked people away from the main cities, how much help do you expect?

Depthlover: Not much really, I'm thinking about calling the LT for help and a certain person who travels with a rather large collection whose spending some time around here. So you're challenging the Kalos league? How's it been there?

WorldTraveler: Complicated. The people here defer to old nobles and give them preferential treatment and a new friend said some people still rule cities as Kings. And the gang leader was one of them. Thankfully it seems that the Gym cities put that treatment to the Gym leader so I expect that he'll go away for a long time. Escpecially given how abused that Volcarona was, scars and a dead eye not to mention its mental state. They had to kill it. And stop not telling us about Rockdock DepthLover

Depthlover: Fine I can't keep it from you, there was an outbreak of a virus or a mold spore that he thought might be from a Chimera and he got together an expedition into the mountains to find the source, when he contacted me he said they were departing the next morning so there wasn't enough time for me to get there.

Ash went still again as he started to pale. A viral outbreak in Kanto and it might be from a Chimera, those were always the worst. _Man oh man Viridian is in so much trouble! I can't believe….wait didn't I hear that there's a hurricane coming in when I left Kanto. The only reason Brock would go up if its airborne then that means…MOM!_ Ash thought as he fanatily started to type away.

WorldTraveler: If he went into the mountains then it must be airborne, DepthLover isn't a hurricane due to hit the area in the next few days?

Depthlover: Yes there is.

PastSeaker: If the outbreak is airborne then it might hit Pallet! And being on a mountain during a hurricane, that's crazy!

Depthlover: He said he'll just do a quick survey and get down before it hits and he's been gone a few days now. We have to trust him to come back alive and that's all.

"Mr. Ketchum?" Ash looked towards the voice and saw a doctor looking at him with a stern look. He smiled sheepishly and gave a shaky smile.

"Hey doc, did you need something?" Ash asked as he looked at the doctor who responded with a glare of his own.

"Yes I do. You're the only one of your party who hasn't been examined yet and if you would sign out of whatever you're doing and come this way, after that you can stay here tonight and can leave in the morning." The doctor declared with a hard look, Ash only nodded and turned towards the screen and typed out a quick message.

WorldTraveler: Sorry guys, the doctor wants to look over a few injuries I'd gotten during my raid, I see you all in a weak or so back here.

Ash stepped away and followed the doctor out of the room. Ash noticed phones against the wall and cleared his throat and gave the doctor a sheepish smile.

"Mind if I stop and call home first, I learned something that I need to call home about and I don't want my mom to see me as a mummy if you know what I mean." Ash asked the doctor who gave him a sharp glare.

Ash walked towards one of the video-phones and smiled over his shoulder at the doctor who crossed his arms, Ash turned and moved to the phone and punched in his home number and waited for an answer. A girl with brown hair in a bun answered the phone and gave a small smile to Ash. _Who the hell is this, where's mom?!_ Ash thought as a glare formed on his face as he looked at the phone.

"Hello can i…" The girl began before she stopped when she saw the glare on Ash's face.

"Who the heck are you and where's my mom?" Ash said darkly as the girl dropped her mouth open and seemed to shake a bit as Ash glared at her. Finally the girl started to smile shakily at him and stammered out a reply.

"You're Ash?! I'm Albia; the new worker, Delia's been letting me crash here instead of the Pokémon Center. You want your mom, just give me a second to go get her." Albia said as she dashed off. A few seconds later Delia came in front of the phone, a smile on her face.

"Ash!" Delia said as soon as she saw her son.

"Mom! Are you okay, I heard there was an outbreak in Viridian and with the hurricane coming in." Ash said, causing Delia to start to giggle.

"I'm fine Ash, really! There was a general warning about what's happening in Viridian and we've all begun preparing to weather the hurricane once it makes landfall but its business as usual here. Really….wait. Is that a hospital? Ash Ketchum what have you done now Mister!" Delia demanded, causing Ash to laugh sheepishly as he paled a bit.

Albia walked into the room she had been given and dropped on to the bed, holding herself as she shook. She hadn't been so scared ever, not even when she was being hunted! She thought she had experenanced true fear then, but just a few words and a glare Ash had terrorized her completely! And Ash's glared had been a look of murder and carnage in his eyes, as if he could reach through the phone and grab her! She had seen his battles in the Johto League Championship and with the way he had looked at her when she answered wondered if he had improved or if his opponent was just that good or if Ash's luck was just that bad, if Ash was the same then how, just how he had lost the way he had.

"Maybe I should talk to Amanda about putting aside some money to buy a ticket or two so Delia can see Ash's battle in Kalos Championship in _person_ , because win or lose that will be one heck of a show." Albia said out loud as she hugged the pillow.

"I think that's everything I needed to do here." Darcy said as she clapped her gloved hands as she moved through the room and looked back over what she had added to the room; a dart board that flipped to a damaged picture of Viola there, a map of the town with notes on how to invade it here and to finish it up a doctored journal that had enough hatred and insults.

"I think that the police should be here soon, so it's time for us to leave, and please make us look like birds." Darcy said as she looked away from her work. Walking towards a doorway onto a balcony she slipped though and into her Zoroak's arms and it carried her away under a cloak. They stopped on a house a mile away and looked down at two Police cruisers moving up the street and Darcy smiled, bringing a hand to her face to hide a giggle as she used her other hand to rub Hypno's Pokéball. _The only way that they got here so soon was that the few triggers I dropped into the higher grunts went off, thanks partner. Now all we have to do is report._ Darcy thought as she smirked.

"If everything works out perfectly and they don't deviate from what their orders are then I think that's it then, now all we have to do is go back to back and get our next assignment. The Reign of Rex Tristo is ended; have a wonderful hell Rex-boy!" Darcy said as Zoroak jumped to the next building and they moved towards the edge of town.

Arbok and Weezing moved through the underbrush, Weezing turning in a circle as they moved, hoping that they weren't being hunted by any of the local Chimera. The pack had dispersed and most had moved on towards the mountains to the south while the two of them had moved towards Santalune City, hoping to use their past experiences as a way to get enough food so they could find a way back to Kanto and then Team Rocket and their trainers. As they made it into the outskirts of Arbok stopped and sighed, causing Weezing to stop and look at its comrade.

"Weez?" Weezing asked as it hovered and waited.

"Arbok bok." Arbok said causing Weezing to sigh as well. The chance for the two of them to find a way back to their trainers was almost miniscule, but they had to try!

"Weez zing!" Weezing admonished its companying and Arbok just sighed and stuck its tongue out and then went still. It turned its head and looked towards the wind its eyes starting to water.

Weezing, weez…" Weezing trailed off when Arbok spoke next and went still

"Arbok?" Arbok barely spoke before it shot off, Weezing trailing behind it as they moved between the decrepit buildings as Arbok speed up. That scent Arbok had picked up had to have been _her_ , it had to be!

Jessie moved the mask off her face as they looked over the truck they had bought earlier. They had just finished putting a second coat on the truck and left the remains of the first coat they had put on the truck, leaving the waste from that for the police to find. A classic strategy, leave traces for the person looking for you that lead to where you weren't, basic really. She walked outside of the abandoned warehouse and looked over the police truck James was in the middle of dismantling and walked over to him.

"Found anything useful in that thing?" She asked when she reached him. He looked up at her and just shook his head.

"The positioning system is at least a few years old, we probably did them a favor when we took it from them, might force them to upgrade. The RAM is good as is the CPU, the engine now that's a lot better than I thought it would be. All in all a good haul, should I leave the positioning system or not?" James asked as he looked at the truck in disgust at how low tech it was. Jessie grinned as with this their next machine would be a bit under budget.

"I'll help you put the engine between the doors and the eggs. This way if the cops stop us they'll think we're just people bringing tech to a salvage yard." Jessie said before a commotion caused the two of them to look towards the noise. Jessie put her hands onto a dagger on her right le as James raised moved his hand to his rapier before a serpentine form charge and pushed her to the floor.

Jessie blinked and saw an Arbok crying as it looked down at her. Her eyes started to tear up as she reached a trembling hand and put in on the Pokémon's hood and started to cry as well. James moved towards her when suddenly something crashed into him and sent him to the floor next to Jessie. He looked up to see a tearing Weezing and started to sniffle as hope blossomed in his heart. Meowth meanwhile had just comeback from checking out the area and was eating a rat with his eyes closed as he walked towards them.

"The area's still secure guys, all we need to do is get outa here in the next hour or so and I think we'll get away clean. So how's the truck Jamesy, anything….Arbok, Weezing, that you two?" Meowth asked as he opened his eyes and saw the two Pokémon. Once Jessie and James realized their hopes about who were in front of they continued to cry as they held them, and Meowth joined them and hugged all four of them. He moved back, tears still flowing from his eyes and looked at the two Poison types.

"Man, its great ta see the two of you, but what happened to those others you were guarding, what the heck are you doing in Kalos?" Meowth asked as he fought to get his emotions back under control.

"Arbok. Arb bok Arbok." Arbok said as its tears dried up and started to look proud as it spoke.

"Weezing weez zing Weezing weez." Weezing said with an eye roll that caused Arbok to glare at it.

"Really, that happened!? Who the hell were those bastards, did ya ever find out….wait, why were didn't the rangers move ya?!" Meowth demanded as he gained a look of rage.

"What happened to them Meowth?" Jessie demanded as she looked at him as James frowned.

"Yes chum, don't keep the two of us wondering what happened to our partners!" James cried out.

"Cool ya jets, I'll translate, was just taking it in. It ain't good, that's all I'll say first. What they told me was according ta them a few months after we split from each other the pack they were guarding was transferred by two Rangers to a swamp sanctuary that used to be nearby. For a few years they had a good run, members of the packs joined up, evolved and had kids and generally had great lives. About a year ago the packs started sensing something wrong with the water and about three months ago the prey started to taste bad." Meowth said with a glare.

"'They tasted bad', but their Poison types!" James said as Jessie held Arbok as she looked at it.

"Yeah, and I don't have to tell you what that means for Poison types. Humans had apparently dropped barrels of something or other in the swamp, the locals who were running it closed it down and they just left the animals and Pokémon to themselves. After the local wildlife started to mutate the two of them called the pack together and decided that the best thing were for them all to split up. A local unified pack sent some emissary's to them and they think at least one of the groups went after them. These two decided to find a way back to Kanto to find a way back to you." Meowth said as James and Jessie absorb what Meowth translated and started to grow angery as well.

"Those Ranger brats never even kept an eye on you all?" Jessie snarled as James looked back towards where the two had come from.

"A unified pack? In the area?" James's words caused him and Jessie to shot each other a look, remembering a few other packs they had meet and fought.

"Another reason to leave soon I'd say." Meowth said as Weezing and Arbok nodded. Jessie smiled and looked the others before.

"Well the gang's back together then! Let's start dismantling this truck before we move out, Meowth your on overwatch. We need to get our score to safety before we can try again to get Pikachu!" Jessie said as James moved towards the truck with a smile on his face, Weezing following him as Arbok to up a guard position by Jessie as Meowth climbed the structure they were ussing. _With these two back with us it'll be a lot easier to survive here. I don't like that a killer Pokemon infiltrated the station because of that gang, it doesn't track with small gangs limited to a single city's area. I have a feeling we're going to need these two before our time in this region is done._ Jessie thought as she moved towards the truck they had transferred the eggs to.


	15. Chapter 15

Wow, over 235 people read my story on the day I published a new chapter, I'm touched really I am. But on a sider note, I literally found out the day after that Stan Lee had passed on, he was one of my heroes, a visionary writer who still did voice acting even at his age, he was the man, rest in peace dude, you're be missed by all the fans of Marvel Comics and the written word. My dream was to be like all my heroes of the literature world, Bran Jacques, Bram Stoker and now Stan Lee. So on a lighter note here's the next chapter and I want to make two declarations, from now on my Fanfiction profile I'll be posting my progress, and I'm going to have a new story to publish to celebrate one year of this, so that's that and I want to wish you all a great Thanksgiving people, enjoy this as and after dinner treat and in the words of Stan the Man, EXCELSIOR! See you all in 30 and on my one year aniversery I'll have a side project I've been working on ready, hopefully.

Bahadur walked ahead of his father as they moved towards their home. The day had been long but a good meal was just what they need. He kept his eyes looking all around as he walked, hoping that he wouldn't see them but he still kept any eye out for any of the Maulers. His father walked behind him, his head down as he thought about what had happened over the last few days. _If a Devour is around where did they come from? I mean the King took care of them after the Attack so many years ago, I can't imagine one of those bastards could 'a survived and why here at the Rest? I mean were near the middle of the Desert domain and the uncolonized lands but what could they be after here_? He was so deep in his thoughts that he never noticed someone walk up behind him until someone hugged him from behind.

"GOOD EVENING BROTHER!" A cheerful voice cried, startling Bahadur who looked and saw slim arms around his father, but he relaxed when he saw his friends looking at him from both sides, grins on their faces let him identify who was giving his father a hug, causing him to shake his head and smile. Sadiq sighed and turned his head to look at the woman holding him and saw a woman with her blue hair braided around her head and a smile on her face wearing a simple white dress with bangles on her arms.

"Hello Rabea, so I guess you decided to give me your surprise greeting." Sadiq said with a sigh as Rabea moved away and stood next to a tall man with tanned skin, a black beard wearing a white tunic and white pants who stood there with his arms crossed and a smirk on his face.

"Come on Sadiq you know how my wife's like when she meets someone with deep thoughts like you had." The man said with a laugh in his voice.

"Well there's hope Navid, there's hope." Sadiq said as he walked back towards his home as Rabea and Navid began conversing with him. Bahadur slowed down until Farbod and Etana were walking next to him before he began a quite conversation.

"Hey guys, the Maulers been bothering you lately?" Bahadur question caused Farbod to snort softly and shake his head.

"Nope. Ever since they tried to jump you at the bridge and those people got drained they've been quite. I've caught some of them watching me but nothing, you?" Farbod asked as they walked down the street.

"Nothing, you think that idiot would have done something by now. Think that one told the truth about who or what attacked his friends? Think they'll back off for a while?" Bahdur asked quietly as he looked straight ahead, watching their parents as they walked towards his home. Etana looked at him as they moved and shook her head.

"Bahadur, we're not that lucky. As soon as the adults let the lockdown fall they'll come after us, the town's forum has exploded about how we tricked them, I'll bet the idiot is destroying

"YOU'RE BACK!" A young sounding cheerful voice called, causing Bahadur to look up and smile as he saw his little sister running towards their father and jumped into his arms and rest her head on his shoulder. Kyra was an angel, her white hair in pigtails and her blue eyes and recently she had proven able to handle a Pokémon with responsibility and had taken the Jr. Trainer Exam, and she had said that she would decide what Type of egg she would want as her first and partner later and had been silent for the last few days.

"Momma said you'd be back soon, she's told me to tell you to hurry up, the breads almost ready and the table just has to be set and we can eat! Nice to see you again Aunt Rabea, Uncle Navid!" Kyra said as she smiled over her father's shoulder. Rabea laughed and tickled Kyra face as she laughed at her surrogate niece.

"Hello little princes, how've you been, causing trouble for your family?" Rabea said as Kyra looked at her and smiled angelically. Bahadur smirked and walked up to just behind his father and rubbed Kyra's head.

"This little one has been giving us the same amount of trouble as usual, did you decided what Egg type you want yet little one?" Bahadur asked as he watched his sister laugh at him.

"Almost big brother, I've got it down to at my top three type picks!" Kyra said as she looked at him as their father put her down and she reached and grabbed her brother's hand.

"It's a big decision boyo, deciding on your first Pokémon is special, it can affect your entire life. Almost as much as deciding to pursue the path of the Aura."

"And you would know that better than anyone, wouldn't you dear?" A voice ahead of them caused Bahadur to smile as he looked towards the source and saw his mother. She was a beautiful woman with her long black hair and blue eyes, and she was wearing a simple black dress that ended at her knees, it was loose and showed off hints of her figure and had on boots that Bahadur had gotten for her last birthday, they had seals on them that promoted healing when they were fed Aura energy, a trick to help the ache of feet that helped her when she traveled to find buyers or check on suppliers for the family business. Rabea laughed and walked towards her, pulling her into a hug when she reached her.

"Neferu, it's been too long, how have you been? How's the road been treating you lately? Anything happen that was strange or interesting?" Rabea asked as she pulled back. Neferu smiled and looked at her before replaying.

"Nothing really, a few miners are blaming their increase prices on that that they heard some noises in the deep tunnels, the same old specters here and there, but what about you all, anything new?" Neferu asked as the others moved to gather around her.

"Oh, no nothing really besides dealing with the fever about what happened to those kids, my brother is coming to visit." Navid said with a smirk in his voice. Bahadur shot a look at his two friends who nodded at him, confirming that their mother was telling the truth.

"He is? You have to tell us about it over the meal; I left it to cool when this little angel called out to you all." Neferu said as she started to usher the party into the yard and then into the house.

Later that night, after the meal had been finished and the kids and adults had separated for the evening, Bahadur walked down the hallway from the kitchen with a glass of water in his hand, his sister had wanted one and he had volunteered to go and get a few glasses if the others wanted some water later and was heading back to the room his friends and sister were using for the night when he noticed a light from under the door to the living room and stopped to listen in.

"… come on man, I know your brother, he wouldn't come here because of a Devourer scare with someone if there wasn't more to it!" Bahadur heard his father exclaim as he tried to stay as silent as possible, anything he heard might help him, a lesson his father had taught him.

"Your right, Sadiq, there is something more at play. I don't know what it is, but he said once he got here he'd need someone to take him to look at the reports from the doctors who looked over the victims." Navid said with a sigh in his voice.

"Look at the reports, did that mean he might have seen something like this before?" Neferu asked with a hint of worry in her voice.

"I don't know, but maybe…." Navid trailed off as Bahadur strained to hear the replay.

"Maybe what?" Bahadur heard his mother ask in the flat tone that his friends called, her interrogation voice.

"Well, it's just my thoughts, nothing was said. But you've heard the rumors, that they found the Queen and Prince?" Navid said as Bahadur gained a look of disgust. There had been many times that the Queen and the Prince had been 'found', and most of them were 'false' and a few of them were plots by either their enemies or of 'unknown backers'.

"Rumors like that always happen a few times a year, what's so different about this one?" Sadiq voice said as Bahadur waited to hear just what if anything was different _this_ time.

"This is different than normal; there was a Gathering of all the Lords and the High Lords at the same time, same meeting. With the rumor, the King might have ordered the lords to beef up secrutity before a general announcement is made, make sure none of _them_ find out we've found where they were." Bahadur went still at this. _They could've found them, for real! Why hasn't it be shouted from the roof tops, this will change everything!_ Bahadur thought as he tried to listen to everything being said inside the room. He barely was able to stay upright and heard someone stand up so fast their chair was pushed back.

"Are you serious, a meeting of the all the Lords?! Then it might have a chance of being real, but how would that affect what's happening here?" Sadiq demanded as Bahadur tried to hear what was being said.

"You all know how the group that attacked all those years ago infiltrated from the Valley Domain, right?" Navid said as Bahadur heard the sounds of him walking about the room.

"What does that have to do with anything? Is there a possibility there are spies in the Rest!?" Bahadur heard his father demanded and felt a scowl form on his face. _That's insane, the Maulers are the only problem and they get away with all they do because that idiots father pays off anyone who might raise a fuss about his boy, if he tried anything that has to do with treasons then anyone would kill the brat!_ Bahadur thought as he tried to listen through the door.

"I doubt it, but if they might have found something because of a security sweep, my brother did say our High Lord was concerned about keeping the domain safe, so maybe it's that, or he's bringing his girlfriend to visit and meet the family." Rabea said as Bahadur turned and walked off back to his room, his friends had to be told about this! He moved down the hallway and went over what he had overheard. _If he's coming because something was found in a security sweep… or did someone else find something and let it out. That painting… I think we need to talk to that friend of ours about what the Maulers got away with, if it's as old as he thought it was then maybe, I don't know but we need to talk to him about it once the Lockdown is lifted._ Bahadur thought as he returned to his room and slipped inside. He noticed Kyra was leaning back as Etana read to her, only to pick up when he came in carrying the glasses.

"You took a while to get back, what; did you stop and listen to the music of the night my friend?" Farbod asked with a laugh in his voice that died when he saw the look in Bahadur's eyes. He gestured towards his sister with his eyes and Farbod nodded slightly and shot a look to his sister. Walked over and handed the glass to his sister who smiled up at him.

"Sorry about being late squirt, had to go to the bathroom on the way back, Etana would you mind putting her to bed and read her favorite story?" Bahadur asked as he shot a look at Etana who looked up at him as Kyra drank her water, only nodding when she saw the look in his eyes.

"Come on princess, lets hit the bathroom first and then I'll read…. what would you like to hear?" Etana asked as she led Kyra out the room. Bahadur looked at Farbod and nodded at him.

"Yeah, I did stop and listen. Let's just wait until your sister puts Kyra to bed sleep and we'll talk about what I overheard, I think that job we did when we provided security to that auction at Kids Town that those Maulers raided might have a hand in why your uncle is coming." Bahadur said as Farbod looked at him in confusion.

Riley put a stake with a jagged crystal on top of it into the ground and nodded as he looked at the others he had set up around the cabin and grasped his hands and willed a glow to form over his hands. He moved them apart, forming a line of blue energy between them before a spark shot at the crystal that glowed before a blue shield formed around the cabin in a square ten feet out from the cabin itself, anchored by all of the eight crystal stakes he had put into the ground. Brock had woken up a few hours ago and when Shadow who had been scouting ahead came back and told them that he had found signs that Chimera had been there recently, the group had decided to change their course and gone to the cabin, the same place Rosette had escaped from. The others were inside, Brock making a stew with what remained of their rations as Shadow watched the front.

Riley walked into the cabin and saw Brock starting to pass out soup bowls as Shadow came into the building from the front, taking a bowl and nodding at Riley as he sat on a salvaged chair.

"Good barrier, I think it'll keep the Chimera from finding us, how long do you think it'll last?" Shadow asked as he removed a piece of his mask from his mouth and started to eat. Riley looked at him and

"I used eight so it should last until the morning; well after at least until the sun rises and nothing happens. But that's not enough to cause me not to demand to know why you're up here." Riley said as Brock nodded as the others looked at him.

"Yeah Shadow, don't get me wrong, I'm happy you saved me but we need to know why you're here in the first place." Brock's words caused Shadow to look at his bowl before he started to speak.

"You work up your Aura, that's why the girl who joined you with that other trainer, the one who rode that Rapidash, she tried to kill you earlier, didn't she?" Shadow asked as he looked up, his mask hiding his eyes as he looked at Brock's face. Brock nodded as Yuji looked shocked before his face gained a glare as he looked at the fire.

"I KNEW IT, I JUST KNEW THOSE TWO WEREN'T HUNTERS! If I ever get my hands around that bastard's neck!" Yuji said as he hands acted as if they were around someone's neck. Cameron looked at him and scooted away, keeping him in his sight as Yuji started to chuckle darkly. Brock looked at Yuji for a few seconds before turning back to Shadow.

"I thought about it when she tried to kill me, but how did they trick Karin….or did they trick her?" Brock asked as he turned his head and looked at Riley who smiled bitterly.

"No, if I'm right then I doubt they tricked her. It's a long story and don't we want to know why our friend was here?" Riley said as he gestured to Shadow. Shadow only smirked and finished up his soup before he looked at Riley.

"I don't mind, and if you can tell me anything about the origination that witch is part of then I wouldn't mind at all, it make explaining why I started to follow her in Viridian City so much easier to believe." Shadow said as Rosette looked at Riley and Cameron as the two shared a look.

"Riley, please. If one of the Elite Four is involved with people who are masquerading as Hunters, then we need to know if only to be on guard when we get to Viridian." Rosette said as Riley turned to her and just sighed.

"Fine, but I want vows from all of you, you can't tell anyone what I'm about to tell you all, epically you Rosette. As far as I know they think what I am is dead and gone from this world. If they find out we're still active, even with only two members then I don't want to think about what they might do." Riley said as the others looked around.

"Fine, I'll keep quit, I'm probably going to be discharged for trauma after this anyway." Rosette said as she looked at him. Brock looked at her and frowned. _Why the hell would the guard discharge her, she did everything right, fought out of an ambush by Chimera that killed the rest of her group and was trying to make it back to report? Maybe I should contact Lance about this, see what's happening with the guard_. Brock thought as Shadow responded.

"If they're who I think they are; I'll only tell people who are fighting them with me, that's the best you'll get from me." Shadow said as he locked eyes with Riley. Riley kept his eyes on Shadow before he released a huff and nodded his head.

"I guess that's the best I can hope for, so Brock what about it?" Riley asked as they all turned towards Brock who sighed before looking at Riley with a hard look.

"I'll keep quite Riley, but if lives are on the line and this information can save them I will act." Brock said with an edge to his voice. Riley looked at him before sharing a glance with Cameron who nodded at his teacher. Riley looked around and closed his eyes, thinking about his long departed teacher

"To formally introduce myself, my name is Riley, and I am an Aura Guardian, besides my student Cameron I am the last of them." Riley said as Shadow merely looked at him, Rosette saying nothing and Brock looking at him before he chuckled.

"I thought you looked like Sir Aaron when we met, but I thought I was seeing things…."Brock trailed off when he saw the look of anger on Riley's face.

"Aaron isn't someone who was respected by the Guardians; his actions were considered what not to do." Riley said flatly, causing Brock to stare at Riley before he exploded.

"Not respected, what the Hell?! He gave his life to stop that war; I would think….you're people never found the Time Flower that showed his final moments did you?" Brock said as Riley stared at him in total shock before a small tear dropped from his eye.

"He gave his life to stop it? You need to tell me about it later Brock, but what do you all know about the Aura Guardians?" Riley asked with a somber tone as Cameron looked on in concern.

"The Aura Guardians are folk heroes here in Kanto. May tales exist of them fighting off Chimera Hordes, swarms of Pokémon and defeating Villains. What people think objectively is that they were the first champions or Gym Leaders and defended their homes and the tales of them using powers or abilities were sleight of hand using their Pokémon or the result of the stories changing overtime." Shadow said as he leaned back. Riley looked on passively and sighed.

"Yes, that's what most people know about us and that's what the old ones wanted. Bear with me for a bit, this is complicated. To put the history into the proper perspective, the Guardians began as those who awakened their Aura's and became protectors of those around them. As each settlement in those days started to make contact with each other, so too did the Guardians start to meet each other. Over time they grew from being friends to comrades, from comrades to members of the same group. But as groups grow, some find others within the group they get along with better, those who think as they do and conjugate together." Riley said as he started to gain a look of hatred as he closed his eyes.

"It was the First Siege; that is considered the cause of everything that went wrong." Cameron took over at that point; Riley looked at him, only to let him continue when he saw the look in his eyes.

"What was recorded shows that a town was destroyed by these Chimera, and unfortunately that town was where the family of an influential member of the Guardians had lived there. They were all killed, and he started to see the fact that the Guardians weren't controlling the rest of the world as the reason, seeing the way the world was divided as the reason for so many tragedies. He started to gather to him others who felt as he did, those who wanted power and those who felt they could do more to protect their loved ones." Cameron said as he reached into his bag and brought out an old looking book. He flipped through the pages until he stopped and turned, showing a drawing of an Alpha with notes on the side, Brock looked at the picture and noticed notes on the side, catching a few sentences with the words controller and explodes before he looked up.

"Explain now, how can something so old have drawings of those things in it." Brock said as Shadow looked at looked at the book as Rosette stared.

"These were the Chimera that took the family of the Guardian we mentioned. According to the research Cameron did, the tactics in those days was to just kill them, but when they thought that the cost would be too high on their side then they decided to just seal them away. According to the records the Guardians were dealing with the last hive of these things when the forces that the Guardian who had lost his family gathered to his banner struck. It was all they could do to send in a special squad to create a seal to hold the last hive in place; it put them into a state of suspended animation. In their defense, with humans and Pokémon, after a few hundred years of this they…die." Riley said as he stirred the remains of his meal.

"The reason teacher said Sir Aaron wasn't thought of was because according to the records he just disappeared, he abandoned his home instead of joining the battle on the side of the Guardians, the other side were the proxies of the forces of that one ex-Guardian, they had started to call themselves the Order of the Protectors of Life. A few others disappeared from the records, traitors or they died, someone saw him abandoned his partner and trap it in his staff." Cameron said as Shadow turned his head to look at him before he scoffed.

"So they were formed because a Chimera killed their founder's family. From people who hated Chimera to those who created one that caused the last Siege, I don't know what's worse." Shadow's blunt words caused the others to freeze before they turned to him, Riley and Brock paling as they did so.

"What did you just say?! They _caused the last Siege?!_ " Brock demanded as soon as he found his voice. Shadow nodded as he looked around the room.

"This information must be kept as quite as what was just said. I was a member of the strike force that went after the leader of that Horde while the others broke its forces." Shadow declared as Brock stared in total shock while Rosette mouth dropped open.

"You were…." Rosette began before Brock interrupted her.

"What happened to the force's leader, did he survive?!" Brock demanded, Shadow only looked at him before he continued.

"Why do you want to know his fate?" Shadow asked as Brock reddened in rage.

"Damn you, he was the father of a good friend of mine! If there's a chance he's alive I owe it to Misty to find out!" Brock said, before Shadow nodded his head.

"He died, some of the others who went into the lair with us were members of this Order, for the Purity and Protection of Humanity was the excuse that scum used when they fought and killed everyone else." Shadow said as he removed a chain with a tag with the image of a Pokéball on a shield before a sword.

"I tore this from his neck as I took his arm and fought my way out of there. I had this suit set aside by my teacher to help hunt Chimera who could see Auras, I was the only one who knew where I left it so I got it and went underground, doing missions in the underworld, trying to find out who the hell those scum were." Shadow said as he handed the chain to Riley who looked at it like one would dog shit.

"I knew they were still alive, but they had devolved into such, I didn't know that they had become so widespread." Riley said as he handed the chain to Rosette who looked at the symbol in horror as Brock and Cameron looked at it with her.

"They're everywhere and could be anyone; I've fought members all over Kanto, from every walk of life to reporters to garbage men. Hell, I was almost killed by this stay at home mom type once in Porta Vista a few years back." Shadow said as he took the chain back and put it into a pocket.

"Then your family, your friends, they don't know your alive?" Cameron asked as the others looked at Shadow whose mouth went a frown before he put his mask piece back into place.

"The leader of those traitors, he was someone who I trusted as a brother, but if he was one of them and could betray us, then anyone was suspect. I couldn't put them in danger if those scum decided they had to preserve their secrecy by killing those I loved." Shadow said with convention as the others looked at him. _Not that Gabs will like my answer, but I'll live with it, she'll still be alive and that will be enough for me._ Shadow thought as the others looked around at each other.

"Still, did they have to just forget about the seal?" Rosette asked as they tried to absorb what they had been told. Riley looked conflicted as he blushed at her words.

"A seal is usually used as an execution; after it's been used they usually fall apart when what's behind it dies. So most used such were usually made and forgotten about, it never crossed their minds that something could survive. Maybe some of the order went around and checked; I don't know I was only a third level out of ten levels of security." Riley said as he looked down. Brock just shook his head before he stopped and went still, varies facts starting to connect in his head as he slowly turned his head and looked at Shadow.

"Those two _didn't_ trick Karin, did they? She's one of them. And they were the ones who killed off the other Guardians!" Brock said as Rosette looked shocked and Riley and Cameron looked at Shadow who nodded.

"Yes she is. I think she's very high in rank, but what I've found over the years is that their… _fractured_ is the only word I can use to describe them. I've seen actions where they've fought alongside each other or against each other." Shadow said as the others looked at each other.

"Make sense, the leader of the bastards who killed the others was high in the League too." Riley muttered as Brock stood up.

"These should be kept secret, all of it. But that's not important right now, let's set up a watch so we can get out of here fast once the morning comes, these things seem to be most active in the night." Brock said before Riley cut him off.

"That's a side effect of the seal, give them a few days and that'll be gone. But a watch is pointless, if the seal chimes something is striking it, any solid mass or elemental attack won't pass through it, and we're trapped and protected in here." Riley said as he got up and walked towards his bag as the others looked around at each other as Shadow stood up and walked towards a wall to lean against as the others choose where they would sleep.

The Pinsir put down the last of the staffs and watched as another of its species touched it with a flaming torch before it threw it into the river. They were to create this and they were then to wait, it sighed. The last of the youngsters were going to leave if they didn't decide to stay here. It looked towards the cave mouth and nodded when it saw the others coming out of the cave, the Yann and Beedrill hovering behind the torches with the other Pinsir stood at attention as Florges moved down the aisle between the torches, her two daughters following behind her. Florges stopped at the end of the row and turned to her daughters as the both of them hovered there and looked at her.

"Florges, flor flor ges." Florges said as she looked down at her two daughters, both of them looking at her. This was how it was done by their kind, when they were trained long enough the daughters could decide to take their chances in the world, sometime the child would decide to stay with their mother and the mother would let her. The two Fairy types floated before her, the one with the black flower looked proud while the blue flower looked sad.

"Flabébé bébé flabé." The black flowered one said as the blue flowered one turned and looked at her sibling with shock. She had heard her sister say she would depart alone, but was that okay? She had only stayed behind because the two of them had a tighter bond then any of their siblings, Black had defended her from the others but to leave like this.

"Flabébé?" Blue asked as Black smiled at her. She darted and kissed Blue on the crown and bowed to their mother before she formed a cloak of green glowing leaves around herself and let the wind carry her out into the world.

Florges watched her daughter leave and turned towards the only child of hers that would stay with her and smiled encouraging at her when she looked at her mother and opened her arms, Flabébé charged at her and hugged her around her neck, Florges only patted it softly as it looked out into the forest as the other Pokémon returned to their nest as some of the Pinsir took the torches to put them out in the river. As she carried her child and its flower back into the cave, she looked at what forces she had to command and frowned. The attack by the Ogre's forces had shown that she had to consolidate power, and who could say what the _Queen and her Champion_ would do next in response to the changing situation. Florges closed her eyes and thought about who she could send emissaries to, perhaps the _Matriarch_ and her brood mightjoin her, they were a bit the _Brothers_ had stopped and helped throw the _Champion_ out of the forest before, they might be up to follow her. And there was the _Flarewing_ and _Duchess_ to consider, and who might join because their enemies joined _them_. Florges looked up at the moon and as she thought how she would lead her forces in the days ahead

Ash looked to his side as Clemont finished the last of the paperwork do own hospitalization and gave a small sigh as he looked at Serena talking with Nimue and Lilly as they waited. The tests on Serena had come back fine and Lilly wouldn't budge about the blood and said she was fine so the doctors had no way they could hold her so they had let her go, while Bonnie was fine once she had been given an antidote and slept off the poison. He absentmindedly rubbed one of the bandages the doctor had put on him and commanded that he keep them on until the day after tomorrow, and he would do so but boy did they itch. He was finishing up his own paperwork and he never noticed Lilly nudge Serena and point at him and make a comment, causing her to blush and Nimue to giggle softly. Bonnie came towards them, Pikachu following behind her as Dedenne poked its head out Bonnie's bag, after she had been attacked and Dedenne had spent it in its ball, it had decided to be like Pikachu and was now traveling in Bonnie's bag for the foreseeable future. Bonnie came up and tugged on Clemont's shoulder and looked up at him as he looked down at her.

"Are you done Clemont, can we leave now?" Bonnie asked, causing Clemont to laugh and reach down and rub her head. He pushed the documents he had finished and reached down and put on his backpack as

"Yes Bonnie I just finished, we can leave." Clemont said as he moved towards the exit to the Hospital, his sister, Ash and their Pokémon following as they moved towards the girls who greeted them and started to walk with them. As they walked under the morning sun light Ash just moved on autopilot, barely hearing the conversation as they moved through the city, his thoughts on the Chimera near Cerulean and the threat hitting the Viridian area. _I'm too far away to do anything, but send my hopes home. Mom took in a new border and she says the girl is a bit skittish but an okay girl and that Aunt Amanda_ _is looking into that so there's nothing I can do there. Just have to hope for the best, Brock I hope you stay alive man and I hope you can hold Cerulean Misty._ Ash thought as he walked, never noticing anything until he jumped as Serena put a hand on his shoulder. He turned his head and noticed her and the others looking at him with worried looks.

"Is everything alright Ash, you've been quite and not hearing us for a while now, is anything wrong?" Serena asked. Ash looked at them and eyed Bonnie for a minute before he sighed. _I don't know how she'll react, so best not to mention it._ Ash forced a smile on his face

"I'm fine guy, I just….I talked with a few friends of mine online last night, there's an outbreak of some kind of _sickness_ in Viridian affecting Pokémon and I'm a bit worried about my mom, I called her and it hasn't spread to Pallet yet but I'm worried about the old homestead." Ash said as he chuckled.

"An _outbreak_ in Viridian, isn't a hurricane due to hit there within the next few days, did they find patient zero yet?" Clemont asked as his mind ran through a few ways that such an infection could spread. Ash just shook his head and sighed.

"No, Misty said that Brock went up into the mountains after it and hasn't been in contact since. But he knows mountains so he'll be fine." Ash said as he dropped a few names.

"Brock, Misty? Are they some of your old friends Ash?" Lilith asked as innocently as she could as she watched Serena's face as they listened to Ash.

"Misty Waterflower and Brock Slate. Their old friends of mine and we traveled together for a while." Ash said as he moved forward, not noticing how Serena's eyes had widened a bit when she heard their names.

"Misty Waterflower; as in the Waterflower Sensational Sisters of Cerulean City? " Serena asked as she stared in shock as Ash laughed as he looked away from them. Nimue gained stars in her eyes and clasped her hands.

"Aren't the Sensational Sisters the name for a trio of sisters who put on water shows with Pokémon in Kanto?" Nimue asked as she looked at Ash. _He travelled with the sister of those three, does he know them? Those three are the only people that the old lady back home let us know about, they're shows were incredible!_ Nimue thought as she looked at Ash as he continued to laugh. Serena meanwhile looked at Ash, wondering what his relationship with Misty was.

"Yeah, long story short, I kinda destroyed her bike my first day out and she traveled with me until it was replaced." Ash said as the group looked at him in confusion. Bonnie blinked a few times before she looked at Ash with confused eyes as the others stared at him in total shock at what they had just heard.

"How did you destroy a bike?" Bonnie asked, putting to words what they were all thinking.

"It was a result of being attacked by a swarm of Spearow, a lightning strike that Pikachu might have caused and a crash, I don't want to talk about it." Ash said as they moved about.

"HEY, WAIT! HEY!" Jenny's voice called out behind them. Turning the group saw Jenny pull up on her motorcycle, stopping as she came up alongside them.

"Found you, I was worried I'd miss you when I made it to the hospital and discovered you'd already had signed out." Jenny said as she removed a helmet and put in on her sidecar.

"Officer Jenny hi, was there any problems with the cleanup?" Ash asked as

"Don't tell me you're here about our actions, are you?" Lilith asked as she moved her hand slowly towards her belt. Jenny raised her hands and shook her head as she saw Ash move to the side and start to raise his arm.

"No, given what we found when we raided their hideout the local judge has ruled what you did was fully justified, not that he needed to because of the Defense Treaty, no matter how little weight most people around here give it." Jenny finished softly as she looked at the group and forced herself not to react to the look Ash was giving her as he relaxed.

"So what is it Officer, why did you stop?" Ash asked as he looked at her eyes, and for a second Jenny felt if a _predator_ was looking at her, trying to decide how he would kill her. _What the hell happened to this kid to cause him to have that kind of stare and to look at me like that? Maybe I should look into him_. Jenny thought as she looked at the group.

"I just wanted to stop and wish you all well. With all the evidence we have and the sighed statements from you I doubt we'll need you to testify anyway. The department has your contact information if we need to schedule a remote testimony in any Pokémon Centers." Jenny said as she leaned against her bike.

"That's good, the sheer scope of what they were doing; I can't even begin to think about what caused him to begin an origination that could do some of what you discovered in there." Clemont said, not noticing the look Ash shot him before Ash turned to Jenny.

"And what about my crystal; when well the legal action against that individual be done and I can have it back?" Ash asked as he looked at Jenny.

"He's trying to cut a deal with us, but we've gotten into his phone records and financial statements and we think we'll have a lot of work for people all over the world to do until we can find everything to charge him with, so I would say that everything about him should be finished in a few months, he's hired a good lawyer but already his underlings are telling us everything for a reduced sentence. So a few months and I think we can give it back to you, I make sure we contact you when you can pick it up." Jenny said as Ash looked at her as Serena watched him. _He's keeping his eyes on Jenny and not letting her direct the flow of the conversation, why is he?_ Serena thought as she watched Ash talk at Jenny. Jenny looked at her watch and turned back to her motorcycle.

'I have to go, I wish you all well and I hope you have safe travels, I'll make sure your contacted when we don't need the crystal." She said as she put her helmet on and started her motorcycle.

"Thank you officer, have a nice day." Clemont said as he bowed her head as Jenny drove off. Ash watched her leave before turning around and leading the group towards the edge of town.

"What's this about a crystal?" Nimue asked as they walked. Ash held up one of his hands and made a gesture that it wasn't worth talking about.

"Oh, someone who wanted to capture some Pokémon for a fighting ring used us to weaken them and knock down a way into their lair. When Serena and I were attacked getting a crystal column from the lair because the 'carver' who wanted it had broken his leg. Stopped the Pokemon from being taken; caught the scum responsible and came back and rescued you and Lilly the second time the Buzz Brats attacked you." Ash said as Nimue looked at him.

"'Caught the scum', Ash you fought him with your sword and knocked him out!" Clemont said, causing Lilith to start to laugh as soon as she heard what had happened. _Teacher said once if someone tried to trick or use the boss or his friends when he was young, he'd break their plans himself and then bring to justice, another point towards him being who we think he is._ Lilith thought as she looked at Ash as they came to a fork in the road with signs pointing down both paths, one with a sign for Odyssey Village one way and Snowbelle City the other.

"So we're going to Odyssey Village, what about you Serena, Nimue?" Ash asked as the group stopped at the signs. Nimue looked turned towards the path to Snowbelle and turned back to her friends with a small smile on her face.

"I discovered a possible lead on a contest towards Snowbelle City and I think I'll take a chance on that, and with what happened when we were attacked, I think I'll look into getting a new member of my team. What about you Serena?" Nimue asked as she looked down the path she would be going down. Serena looked at the sings and let her mind wonder. _I just met Ash again and I can't go back to how I've been living, I think I'm ready to finally start my journey and I need to tell my mom._ Serena thought as she looked at Ash.

"I think I'll come with you all if you don't mind. I need to have a talk with my mom and she's going to be there to be part of the ceremony to open the Jr. Racing League." Serena said as Ash smiled at his old friend.

"I don't mind, what about you all?" Ash said as he looked at the others. Bonnie released a small laugh and hugged Serena around the waist as Clemont and Lilly started to smile.

"I don't mind, she's a great person to talk with. And I promised to meet her mom to let her try some of my friend's tea." Lilith said as she laughed. _She'll probably find some reason to continue traveling with Ash, if that has been activate for years and she's been so far from him for so long, then I don't want to know how she's still sane, maybe because her Aura's not awake, that could do it._ Lilith thought as she looked at her…friend , hiding how worried she was for Serena's health.

"Yeah, the more the merrier!" Bonnie said as she looked up at Serena.

"Dedenne!" Dedenne cried as it looked up. Pikachu jumped onto Serena's shoulder and rubbed against her check.

"Pikachu!" He cried with a smile as Serena started to laugh.

"Well, I'll see you all again, I hope I meet you at the Grand Festival Lilly." Nimue said as she walked down the route she had decided to travel down.

"Good luck on your journey Nimue, I hope to see you there to!" Lilith cried out as she turned to the others.

"Shale we be off then, I kinda want to get to Oddysy town before sunset." Lilith said as she spun to the others with a smirk on her face before she dashed down their path, the others following her with a laugh in their voices. Bonnie was right behind her, Ash and Pikachu behind her with Clemont and Serena making up the rear.

"Lilly, wait up!" Bonnie cried as she ran a laugh.

"If you wanted to race you should have asked, right Pikachu?" Ash exclaimed as he pumped his arms.

"Pikapika!" Pikachu cried as it dashed alongside its trainer.

"Bonnie don't run so hard, be careful!" Clemont cried as he ran after his sister.

"Wait for me Ash!" Serena cried as she followed after her friends. Nimue looked back towards the others and walked off a bit faster a small smile on her face.

As the group moved down the path, they never noticed a lone Beedrill hovering behind a tree, it would have been not worth mentioning but for the fact that it had a helmet on, a helmet with a camera and microphone one that had been pointing towards the group of friends as they had talked before they moved on. The camera released a beep, the Beedrill flying off back towards its trainer as it had been taught to.

Group leaves Hopsital, Jenny stops them before and wishes them well, says she'll let them know if they need to testify at Center for trials, tells Ash will tell him when he can have back Crystal from Quest/ Nimue splits from group heads to Ice Gym searching for contest Ice Gym, Serena traveling with them to Odyss, races off with Serena in lead, never sees B-Drill with camera on neck spy on them

Sylvestre led Nicolas and Virgil into the audience chamber and looked about the room and as he saw at least half of all the people in the mountain were here, Templars were spaced around the room and he noticed Mathis talking quietly with a Templar officer. He looked around the gather and notice Jacquelin standing with his follower Taillefer as the later looked nervous as he seemed to be looking for anything that might attack him.

"You know, I don't think I ever saw that prideful fool looking like that before brother." Virgil muttered. Sylvestre only grunted and looked back, smirking when he saw Nicolas, who looked scared and confused as he looked about.

"Relax Nicolas; you're acting like we're going to throw you against a Chimera alone." Sylvestre said as he looked at the younger knight who only looked back at him with a scowl on his face.

"Why am I here Sylvestre? I followed after Dante when he ran to stop those things from breaking out, why isn't he here instead?" Nicolas asked as he looked at Syvestre. _I've only been in his service for a few days at best since I told him I wanted to follow his banner after that duel and he chooses me as one of the people he brings to this. I mean it's my first Court since I've joined the Team…when did I join, why did I join?_ Nicolas thought as his head started to hurt before a chuckle from Taillefer broke his train of thought.

"The last time old Dante was at one of these things he left with two duels, one vow of death and a mage who became an alcoholic." Taillefer said as he chuckled as Nicolas looked at him before turning to stare at Sylvestre with a look of shock only for Sylvestre to laugh sheepishly.

"Great man Dante, I'd trust him at my back any time or place, but this is the one place I wouldn't bring him to. Relax kid, there will be a lot of guards who'll give testimonies if their needed, your only here to give testimony if calls on you, again Dante can't because of last time." Sylvestre said with a smirk as Nicolas looked at him in total shock.

"How did he….I don't want to know, I really don't want to know." Nicolas said as he shook his head. Syvestre chuckled. _The kids learning, given how he rushed after Dante he has a good head on his shoulder, I think I can expect great things from him in the future._ Syvestre thought as he looked about the room and noticed the Queen come into the chamber as people quieted down as she walked to her thrown and stood facing them.

"Since Good Jacquelin first told Us of the Threat facing our people, an expedition to find out just what it was left our lands and meet the threat at the edge of our Castle. They fought bravely but it was only the return of Good Syvestre's hunt was the line held and the leader of force slain in combat." The Queen said as she gestured to both Syvestre and Jacquelin who both bowed to her. Jazquelin in particular looked vindicated that she was saying such praise about him; Syvestre looked at him with a side glance. _This must be fueling his ego so much; I don't know what he truly plans for this but I have a bad feeling about him._ Syvestre thought as the Queen made a motion that she would continue speaking.

"Yet from the remains of the defeated did a force of these things awaken within the very heart of our Castle, only by the quick action of all were the forces of our Enemy defeated. This meeting is to decide on what actions we shall all take in light of what is against Us." The Queen said as she sat back down. The Seneschal stepped forward and cleared his throat as he raised his hands.

"If I have you're leave to speak first my Queen?" The Seneschal asked, receiving a nodded from her before he continued.

"The plan first created was to send an expedition out to find the source of these… Abominations were the word used to describe them I believe. The overall strategy was as stated to do a slow circle around the mountain then to examine the local woods until any trace of the creatures was found then to burn them out. The severity of the attack withstanding, there is no doubt in my mind that this plan still gives us all the highest degree of success so my proposal is that the original plan goes forward, with some modifications as needed." The Seneschal said before stopping when Mathis stepped forward and nodded at him.

"Continue the plan? With all respects intended good Sir, are you mad? We were attacked by a horde of creatures that revived after they were dealt critical damage. To send out a force to find them would leave this base undefended." Mathis said as he looked at the Seneschal who only nodded at him

"Hence the modifications I spoke of. We have to find out where they are coming from but we can't let ourselves be left defenseless but we MUST find their lair." The Seneschal said as he stared down Mathis who didn't back down.

"Then it's obvious what should be done then gentlemen." Sylvestre said as he stepped forward to stand between Mathis and the Seneschal.

"In what way good Sylvestre, do continue." The Queen asked as she looked up from her throne.

"My thanks, my Queen. A small team should be sent to find the source and destroy it. This way the castle will be protected and a small team could travel fast and track the abominations to their source easily." Sylvestre said as the crowd reacted to what he had proposed.

"But who will lead the team? Who will stay and led the defense of our base?" Mathis asked as he looked at Sylverstre who only met his glaze. Before he could say anything the Queen spoke up.

"Good Sylverstre and Good Jacquelin will lead the search party. Good Mathis if you are so concerned with our defense you shale lead the defense until the searchers return or you break. This audience has been concluded, all parties interested in going on the expedition may talk to Good Sylverstre and Good Jacquelin for an answer." The Queen said as she looked at Mathis who started to sweet as he saw the court look at him.

"I am honored to accept this great responsibility my Queen." Mathis said as he bowed to her, keeping his thoughts from his face as he looked at the floor. _This is unexpected, to think I would be given command of the defenses; this might work out if I can handle this right._ Sylverstre looked at him before turning his head to look at Jacquelin who nodded at him, nodding in return. Turning back to his two comrades and gestured to them to follow him out of the hall way. Taillefer moved closer to and initiated a conversation.

"This will be interesting brother, shale I prepare the Strike Orthros as well as Cerberus?" Taillefer asked as they walked through the halls as people moved to their different destinations.

"Two Orthros and Cerberus, we don't know what our friend will bring to the party." Sylverstre said.

"Smart brother, don't want to show our hand to much, wait, where are we going?" Taillefer asked as Sylverstre led them around a corner.

"One of the halls, I'll set up and wait for volunteers to come and decide how to handle them. Nicolas, go back to the lab and tell Dante he and you are coming with me." Sylverstre said as Taillefer nodded and Nicolas walked off. _Now to only survive this, I have a strange feeling for some reason._ Nicolas thought as he walked towards Taillefer's lab.

Two Templars stood guard at the broken entrance to the storage rooms when a noise a few meters down the hallway caused them to look at each other before one moved off to investigate, the other moving forward to better watch his post, never looking upwards to see a simmering hide a figure of some king move along the ceiling and into the hallway beyond him. As the thing slipped into a side room; the shimmering field dropped away to reveal a woman with a voluptuous feminine figure in a purple full bodysuit with a full facemask who dropped to the floor. The figure looked around the room and moved closer to the Woodmen corpse in the chamber, stopping to look at a broken crystal partially revealed in a hole torn through the body. The figure brought a hand to the visor on the mask and pressed a button and started to look at the bodies. _So the Aura levels are basically that of living trees, but a bit lower. So if there normal is about double or a third higher we can't see them in the wild, they'd just be hidden by the trees around them._ The woman thought as she looked around at the corpses, removing the goggles revealing pure white eyes to let her _sight_ take a look, seeing nothing. But as she turned towards the back of the room she noticed many floating lines of _energy_ moving around the room, going out, up, around or out of the room. She moved towards the line and noticed it was coming from within the wall.

She put her hand on it and frowned when she felt that the material that made up the wall was different in places. _Were these things trying to break down the walls, if so why? What are these energies I'm seeing? What could be behind this place? Perhaps I should check this out later after I've secured my escape of course._ The figure thought as she put the goggles back on and started to climb up the wall when she heard noises from the hallway.She climbed the wall as the shimmer returned and hid her from view just before the two Templars came into the room. One stayed by the door and the other moved through the room, looking about before moving back to the other.

"Nothing, I guess the noise really was someone who was scared off when they noticed we were guarding the room." The first Templar said as the second chuckled.

"Told you so, but it's good to double check if you have doubts." The second said as it turned and walked out of the room. The first Templar looked around the room before it released a sigh.

"That's what the boss always says, always check and check again, but I just can't shake the feeling that we've missed something." The first Templar muttered as it followed after its comrade out of the room, neither of them noticing a shimmer move along the top of the hallway and out the doorway as the two Templar returned to their guard positions

Mathis walked through the hallways, the results of the court the only thing he heard as he moved. While he had a serene expression on his face, on the inside he was anything but. _Those two idiots will be out of this place while their away, perhaps I can have those Makers with them work on some defenses while their masters are away? I could watch them or have one of my Inspectors watch them, see what I can learn that way. Soon very soon I think I'll be able to leave this place. And once I Ascended to my rightful state, I'll be able to return and kill him._ Mathis thought as he walked through the halls.

"Sir Mathis, will you be inspecting the perimeter later today or tomorrow?" A voice from behind him caused him to turn and see the Seneschal looking at him with a deadpan look on his face. Mathis jolted as soon as he saw him and went pale when he remembered the old rumors of him being the queen's assassin.

"Tomorrow good sir, I will be looking over the capabilities the enemy has shown and start to look into what can be done, has the queen given leave to stop hiding or does the ruse continues?" He asked as he looked at the man before him, making sure he could see his hands.

"The ruse will continue, but you have total control of the protecting the exits so they can't get in. And do make sure to put your command center at the front lines." The Seneschal said before he bowed and walked off, leaving Mathis's mouth hanging open as he started after the man. _So that's her game, let me die defending and then take control of my work! Oh I knew he was smart but I didn't think he was this worthless. Of course as long as the Templars are safe they can 'recruit' new members!_ Mathis thought as he forced himself to smile serenely, bowed in the direction the Seneschal had gone in before he moved off. After a while he made it to a doorway with a blue hexagon crystal on it and pushed his hand against it, pushing the door open as soon as the crystal was depressed.

He entered a room with tables with papers on them, bookshelves along the walls and tapestry's with blocky art on them. He moved towards a side table with a large tome on it and slammed his hand down on the tome. _Okay, he's expecting me to die while buying time for the hunters to kill the source but that means they expect the others to die when the source is killed. That means they know exactly what kind of things attacked us, so they think there were Homunculus's like I thought. All I have to do is mix in some of the casters to use spells and take the losses until it become obvious what affect those things best. But where did they come from and how did they repair themselves to make that other force?_ He was pulled from his thoughts as a sensual laugh suddenly came from the side.

"What, had the meeting not gone the way you thought it would old man?" A feminine voice purred, causing him to turn and look towards a wall as a shimmer dropped to reveal the woman who had slipped by the Templars.

"Ahh your back, tell me how was it?" Mathis asked as he looked at the woman who took of her mask to reveal a woman with short black hair and pure white eyes. Unlike blind people whenever Mathis looked at those eyes he always seemed to think she was looking right through him not matter what he said.

"Oh, it was fine. Unfortunately I was right, those things are just as powerful as ordinary trees so we can't find them that way." The woman said with a honeyed voice as she walked around the room, touching books as she passed by them and looking towards his workshop. Mathis merely kept his face impassive as he watched her move and kept his thoughts from his face. _That fits with my theory about them being Homunculus's. But does the Queen know what they are or is she as in the dark as the others, was I right about him, is he the controller?_ Mathis thought as he looked down before looking up at the woman who leaned back and waited for him to continue.

"Go back amongst the masses, I want a report on the Seneschal's movements over the next few days, do this and I'll make you that teleported you approached me about." He said, causing her to chuckle and put her mask partially over her face, stopping at her noise.

"This must be important to you then, do survive the bother to come, I will want my Equipment at the end of this." The woman said before she disappeared from sight. Mathis snarled as he looked around the room and sat down on a chair next to the tome and opened it, stopping on a page showing a diagram of something with wings and the Electic element symbol on the 'head'.

"Once I've figure out their tricks and gotten a few of these ready, then that fool will see just who he was messing with." Mathis chuckled as he looked over the text.

"Did you hear what happened to the Cragra's?"

"You mean how their place was torn apart and all their food was stolen? If they hadn't been delivering their animals to the high meadows for spring, I don't want to think what could have happened."

"That's nothing, the Firetree's were attacked by something that shot blasts at their house, they returned fire and chased it off, when the eldest went to where the blasts came from they found no blood or remains!"

"Doesn't one of them have a Slandslash that won the last local tournament?"

Leaf walked through the gathering as people started to talk about what had happened. When she had reached the edge of the crowd she saw a long table in the center of the room with three figures sitting at a chair, each with some people standing alongside them. Leaf watched as people argued with each other as the three leaders of the biggest farms or families in the local area sat and watched each other, none of them saying anything.

Jed Flareblood, a bald man wearing a teal shirt and red suspenders sat at the head of the table, by his side was his partner Pokemon a Blaziken with its arms crossed as it looked down the table. At his side was his eldest daughter Holly, with her red hair in its short style wearing a red dress with a hard look on her face, her Sandlash standing next to her with its paws crossed. Leaf noticed that Holly's eyes were locked on the right side of the table and was looking at her rival, the 2nd eldest child of the Fallsbloom clan, Kimi Fallsbloom. Kimi Fallsbloom stood there in a blue dress, a chain around her neck disappearing into her collar, her blue hair in a ponytail as she and her Poliwhirl meet the glare of her rival. To their right was their grandmother, Pakwa Fallsbloom stood there in a bluish-green kimono as her Greninja stood with its arms crossed. To her right her grandson Chogan Fallsbloom stood there in a blue jacket over a tan shirt and black pants, his blue hair was loose as his Pidgeot stood next to him preening its wings him as he looked across the table. Acrros from the Fallsbloom family was the Heartvine clan; Edger Heartvine was an old man in a green shirt and black pants with white hair in a wolf tail holding a staff on the same size as his body with his Serperior next to him. Next to him was his eldest granddaughter, Isa Heartvine with her green hair in a twin tail style wearing a green bodysuit next to a Breloom wearing a chocker with a green gem around its neck. After a few more minutes of mindless pandemonium the three elders looked at each other and nodded, prompting their Pokémon to all release savage roars silencing the others as Jed stood up.

"Now let's not all loose our heads folks, we've dealt with bad things in the past and we'll deal with this! Ain't that right old lady?" Jed asked as he looked at Pakwa who snorted.

"Course we will Flareblood, that's the way we've led our families since the first Siege and how they'll be led when the three of us are in the ground, right Hearttree?" Pakwa said as she started to laugh.

"We will yeah Water Bitch, but this ain't about us. This meeting was brought about because this little lady came back with one of ours and said she had a warning to give about those new Gaia brats. So little lady, mind telling us what you saw and why we're here?" Edgar said as everyone followed his gaze to Leaf at the far end of the table across from Jed. Leaf looked about, took a deep breath and steeled her eyes.

"I found tracks in the eastern side of the forest while I was looking for mushrooms and herbs. They were unlike anything I had ever seen so I was worried about what could have caused it. I followed them until I heard the sound of a battle and found an outcropping to get a lay of the land and found an outcropping where I was able to get a view of it. There were at thirty of them, they were split in two variants and they were attacking Team Gaia. I rescued the child I returned from a third variant of the attacking Chimera and found more farmsteads destroyed, some of them fought them off, others…didn't." Leaf said as everyone looked at each other.

"In case anyone is wondering, Leaf brought the kid to our place and we were able to get em back with their parents. But as we were talking about what to do another bunch of those things were found hurt mighty bad. Ah was able to drive 'em off and the doc convinced me to call this here gathering." Jed said as everyone started to talk to those next to them until Kiki interrupted them.

"They attacked our place to! We were able to drive them off but they took a few of our trees when they did so and a few dead birds they killed! They're not acting like any Chimera I ever heard of!" Kiki said as she looked about the room before Holly snorted.

"If they acted like regular Chimera I don't we'd be having this meeting Water brat, get with it for the sake of the League." Holly said as she looked at Kiki who glared back at Holly.

"Before you two start biting each other's head off again, I'd like to point out that we still have that announcement from Viridian, any of your Pokémon come down with it yet?" Pakwa asked as varius people nodded at each other and some raised their hands.

"The people with herds should be taking them to their spring grazing sites, the rest of us, I don't know. Anyone have any ideas" Edgar asked after he slammed his cane into the ground.

"Viridian, we should go to Viridian. It's the safe option, if Leaf found them near the Woods we'd have to go around them and might run into them on the outskirts, a straight run to Viridian is a lot safer." Chogan said as his Pidgeot nodded its head. Some people nodded while other scoffed, wanting to stay and fight for their lands while Edgar was nodding.

"It's probably the action that would save the most lives if the outbreak isn't too bad. If Viridian in under quarantine then we can't. if its under attack we could help hem Blastoise up and deal with the problems and help…" He trailed off as he saw a commotion near the doorway and looked up.

A man wearing a jacket with the symbol of the Flareblood farm pushed his way to the table and looked right at Jed and the others.

"There's a lot of those things we fought off before coming at us, I counted about forty of them at least! They were being led by this kinda Centaur like one, I left the other guards there while I came to warn you. Boss, what do we do?" The man asked, causing everyone to start talking at once. Pakwa looked about before she screamed.

"ENOUGH! All right, let's not lose our heads! All Fallsbloom and Hearttree trainers, with me! Flareblood, you all make sure the rest of our people are safe! After the noncoms are away, we break combat and make for Viridian!" Pakwa said as everyone moved towards the door. Leaf looked at Holly and sighed, she had to be told.

Holly moved through the gathering as she looked towards the children from 6-8 years of age who were in groups with older teens or their mothers watching them as they ate

"Holly, wait a second I need to talk to you." Leaf said as Holly turned to look at her as she pulled her aside away from the hustle of the crowd. Holly looked at Leaf with a scowl on her face before she started to speak.

"What is it Leaf, I have to get the kids ready to move and Grandda and the others don't know how long they'll be able to hold off…" Holly began before Leaf interrupted her.

"Nick was with Team Gaia, at least I think it was Nick." Leaf said as Holly looked at her in shock. She moved backwards and Sandslash help

"Nick was with….but he went to find something to heal grandma." She said as she paled. Leaf pated her shoulder and forced her to look at her

"We can find a way to find if he's there after everyone is safe, for now we have to save the kids." Leaf said as she moved towards the hall's exit, Holly standing there for a few seconds before she followed after her friend.

Protector looked behind it as the as the other Goblins were being led on a hunt by their Sire. It had taken them all out, saying a treat was nearby, a plant like creature herd was traveling through the area and they needed to hunt all at once to have a chance. It dropped back until it was next to Gazer and who looked at Protector as Healer followed behind them. Gazer looked at Protector with a scowl as it gestured at Sire and Protector nodded as the group moved after it. A soft cry caused Protector to turn and snarl as it saw Deadeye move by Healer after it had bumped into it and caused it to fall to the ground, the others following Deadeye snickered as they moved by the fallen for. Gazer dropped back and helped Healer to its feet and pulled it along as those who followed Protector growled low it their throats as they looked at Deadeye's poise as they moved on.

They stopped when Sire raised a hand and then turned, bringing its hands together before it pulled them apart and then pointed at nine Goblins, Deadeye among them and gestured for them to follow it. It gestured at Protector and moved off, causing the others to look to it. Protector moved up, pulling Gazer along with it as it walked through the crowd and pushed aside a branch and sucked in a deep breath at what it saw. Large brown creatures with leaves on their bodies were drinking from the river as, there were at least fifteen of them drinking while three were watching over them farther back. It spotted smaller ones here and there among the herd and looked at the trees and Protector tried to figure out how it would bring down some of them. It looked about and noticed an older one was moving along the tree line alone, eating at the leaves as it walked. It watched the creature move toward the trees and smiled, they had a chance, it just had to be very lucky… Protector stared in shock as the tee started to shake and it saw a Goblin at the top of the tree.

The older Tropius ate the leaves as the others drank and turned its neck to look at them. It had been this herd's leader once and one of its spawn had taken over that position and it hopped that a two legger wouldn't come and recruit it away from the herd. Still they had a peaceful existence so it was happy about that, but it admitted that its ability to _sense danger_ had helped it when it led the herd. That ability was something its spawn hadn't inherited like the move its mother had given it but it still led them well in the elder's option. The new leader kept them away from two leggers and protected them from the _creatures_ that sometimes hunted them. They had stayed away from that gathering place of the two leggers in the mountain, well it didn't know how to feel about that to be sure. That place honored them and sometimes the herd there mated with its herd and they took only a quarter of the eggs, that was alright, they had limited grazing areas there but it was worried, the four legged creatures that usually also used this water source were around, where were they?

"RRRRGGGA!" A scream from above it caused it to try to raise its head before something landed on it and started to claw at its head, causing the giant to cry out in pain, causing the other members of the herd to look as three Goblins fell from the tree and started to slash at the Tropius. One of the three guardians Tropius moved towards the Goblins attacking is herd mate. As soon as it thundered past a tree when four other Goblins jumped at it, but it moved to the side and dodged their attack, falling to the ground. The Tropius guardian flapped one of its wings and a gust of wind slammed into the four Goblins, sending them flying through the air, landing before the other two guardians of the herd. As the Goblins tried to get back to their feet green glowing roots suddenly shot out of the ground and tied themselves around the Goblins, forcing them to the ground. A Tropius looked down at the Goblins and with a glare slammed one its legs onto one of the bound forms and crushed it.

Protector stared as the creature lifted its legs, parts of its siblings body still clinging to it as it moved towards the others and went still. Gazer felt something and turned to Protector, staring as its eyes started to glow and it suddenly released a scream of pure rage as a blue aura formed around its body as it shot at the two Tropius.

The Tropius looked at Protector as it charged and their eyes started to glow. Protector dodged the green toots that shot from the ground and dashed at the Tropius and jumped and with a roar, slashed through the neck of the beast that had killed the Goblin. As the other Tropius flew Protector turned to the other Guardian that had charged at the Goblins attacking the elder Tropius, it had shot leaf shaped blades at the Goblins that had attack the elder and killed two of them, the elder had flown off while the Guardian looked at Protector and flexed its wings, all of them gaining a green glow as it charged at Protector. Protector ran, meeting the charge and slashed at it, creating deep gashs along the right side of its face just below the eyes. Tropius didn't stop and took to the air, flying after its herd. Protector looked at the escaping creature and its vision returned to normal and looked around, shocked at the beast it had killed on its own. The other goblins taking shelter came out and rushed it, some lifting Protector onto their shoulders and cheering as others rescued the captive Goblins.

Deadeye had watched shocked that Protector had such power, looking at Sire who only chuckled and bent down and pointed at crued drawings of Protector seeing Gazer and Healer bed, them standing pointing at Dark Flare and Broken Sting. Deadeye looked at the dirt drawings and smiled evilly at its creator

Riley looked around as the barrier collapsed as he broke the crystal on one of the stakes he had set in the ground, nodding as he heard the others shatter. They hadn't been found by the Chimera and everything seemed to be ready for them to move back to the city. Shadow walked towards him and pushed a piece of paper into his hands.

"An address that you can use as a way to contact me. It's a dead drop account I check once a month, so don't expect much from it." Shadow said as he looked at Riley's expression.

"Not coming back with us then?" Riley asked only to be met with a nodded from Shadow.

"No, if Karin is there I don't want her to know I'm in the area yet. I'll do my part to kill these things, but only where I won't be noticed by them. In this war, silence and deadly strikes are the only way I'll be able to keep my head above water." Shadow said as he moved away from the cabin and looked up towards the mountain peak.

"If any of you see me in Viridian, act like it's the first time we've met, I can't be connected by _them_ to what happened up here. I've fought too long and hard, sacrificed too much not to finish this, I can't let them know more about me." Shadow said before he dashed away from the cabin, moving down the mountain.

Riley watched as the mercenary disappeared from sight and sighed as he stood there and let his mind go over what Shadow had told them, trying to make sense of everything. _And to think before the Slaughter the Fellowship thought that the Order had been destroyed centuries ago, they went underground. I knew that a Champion had been one of them, but for them to have become that integrated with all levels of society? It makes more sense than what wild theories I made to figure out where they had gone._ Riley thought as he looked out into the wilderness, not even reacting when he heard someone walk up behind him

"So I guess Shadow is gone then?" Brock said as he looked around before turning towards Riley.

"So that did you? I'll keep quiet about our friend up here and I think Rosette will to, what about you?" Riley asked as Brock sighed he shook his head.

"I'll keep my word to him, but then there's Karin to think about, will she know you and Cameron, be able to identify you in anyway?" Brock asked with a sigh as he looked at Riley who shook his head.

"No, I was an orphan who found the Guardians base while I was escaping from a Chimera in Unova. The gathering that they destroyed was to be the first time I was to be introduced to the entire origination. And my student and I have…Gear that masks our ability to use Aura as long as we aren't too obvious about it. What about you're Pokémon, have they recovered?" Riley said as he looked up the mountain. Brock sighed and shook his head in sorrow.

"According to my Pokégear my Steelix is still knocked out, my Swampert is awake but he's only at around 20% healed and Croagunk is about 10%. If I can give them a few more hours then maybe, maybe Croagunk and Swampert could handle a battle." Brock said, Riley only sighed. _Of course it can't be any easier than it has been before now, a recovered Steelix would have made it so much easier to get down the mountain._ Riley thought as he moved back towards the cabin, Brock following behind him.

Cameron looked up as the door opened and saw Riley and Brock come into the room. Rosette came out of a side room whipping her hands as she came out.

"So Shadow moved on then?" She asked as she saw Brock and Riley. Riley nodded and looked around the room and sighed.

"He left a few minutes ago, so far we've been luck, the Chimera haven't attack us but we should move soon so lets decided how we're going to do that." Riley said as he looked at Brock.

"I came up on my Steelix, but he's still out. If any one of you wouldn't mind me bumming a ride with them?" Brock asked only for Rosette to nodded.

"My Aracanine can handle **three** riders and still move fast enough to out run those things!" She declared as Cameron looked at Riley.

"Master and I've flew here on our Pokémon, me and mine can do overwatch while master can keep an eye out." Cameron said as Riley nodded.

"Then it's decided. Cameron, you ride your Hydreigon, Brock can ride with Rosette on her Aracanine and I'll ride my Salamence and keep an eye out from higher up." Riley said as he nodded before he moved towards the outside the others following behind him. Riley released his Salamence as the others released their own Pokémon. As they took off Riley looked behind him at the mountain, promising that this time they would kill the _mother_ of these things and end their threat to Kanto.

Kunz snarled as he looked at his Rapidash as it lay on the ground whimpering as his Combusken looked on with a scared look on its eyes as its Trainer looked down at the Fire horse. They had been attacked since they had escaped to a lower elevation and one of the attacks had caused Rapidash to suffer a wound on one of its shoulders and was sent to the ground. Luckily for him, he had been fighting with his Combusken and the _failure_ of his transportation hadn't caused him to be wounded, but with the way it was hurt and reacting, he wouldn't be able to use it to escape the mountain now. He looked down at his Rapidash as he tried to think up what he could do next. _So this weakling is useless now. I guess I could leave it, tell it I'll try to find something to help it and let it draw in the Chimera?_ Kunz fumed as he looked at it before he looked at Combusken who went to attention, its eyes staring straight ahead. Kunz smirked as he looked at the bands around his Pokémon's waists; he smirked at the reaction, it seemed its _training_ was coming along fine.

He looked at the bodies of the slain Chimera and cursed again. _There are too many of these things to have been created by one of our factions, where did they come from? I need to get down there and get others to kill that Rock head before he tells the League about what I did. And I know that bitch Karin will use that to get rid of a few problems with others in the League, I'm not going to be one of the 'necessary sacrifices' that gets written off!_ Kunz thought as he looked at Rapidash as it got shakily back to its feet and moved towards him. He dealt it a blow to the wound and smirked when it cried out and dropped to the ground and smirked down at it. He saw Combusken seemed to glare at him, but it cowered when he turned his eyes onto it and backed down. _That's right, obey your master as the_ _ **slave**_ _you and all your kind are._ Kunz thought as he turned back to Rapidash and sneered at it.

"Stay here you weakling, maybe you'll kill a few of those bugs before they bring you down you stinking weakling!" He spat as he snarled at the Fire type and turned away from it. A savage laugh suddenly seemed to come from all around him. He looked around with the two Fire Types and heard something behind him

"You know I wondered why you were alone, but I think I can figure out the hows and whys quite easily." A femine voice came from behind him; he turned and saw a beautiful woman with red hair with it covering the right side of her face dressed in a purple skirt that ended at her knees and a violet top with long sleeves, by her side was a large, quadruped, feline Pokémon with pale tan fur snarling at him. The woman looked at him with a look of disgust that infuriated Kunz, how dare she! As he looked at her a vicious smile formed on his face as he realized just how he could benefit from her appearance here.

"I don't know who the hell you think you are, but it's good to see you whore, I can leave your body here and those _things_ can take your corpses for food that should give me enough time to escape!" Kunz said darkly as the woman started to laugh haughtily.

"And how will I die then?" The woman asked as Kunz looked at her and raised his axe and gestured towards his Pokémon, but grew confused when she only started to smirk at him

"That might work on me, but what about the others with me?" She asked as all around him, people in black pants and long sleeved shirts with a red R on the front appeared, most of them with Raticates and Arboks by their sides.

"Allow me to introduce myself, I'm Sham and I work for Team Rocket, will you be surrendering now or will we beat you first?" Sham purred as she drew forth two knives. Kunz snarled and looked at his two Fire Types and didn't like the look they shot each other. He raised his hands to his watch and pressed a button on it, smiling with sadistic glee when the two Pokémon cried out in pain, Sham and the Rockets stared in shock before Sham realized he had something to do with their pain and started to glare at him, fingering her knives.

"COVER ME YOU IDIOTS!" Kunz roared as he ran at Sham with his axe raised a bloodthirsty grin on his face. Sham dodged to the right at the last minute and her Persian slashed at Kunz's back with its claws as she tried to slice at his arms. Persian dodged to the left as Combusken blast of fire at it kept it from slashing at Kunz as Rapidash tried to get back to its feet and looked towards the Rockets.

"Containment, knockout!" Sham roared as the Rocket members moved towards the Fire Pokémon. _How the hell did this scum do that to those two, I'll tell the doc to give those two a good looking over before they're given to some of our members to heal and recover, I so hate it when I come across people who abuse Pokémon, especially when they do it in new ways._ Sham thought as she spun and dodged the blows of the axe as her foe tried to kill her. He grinned savagely as he tried to slash her in two, his eyes wild.

Combusken slashed at the Raticates as they tried to corner him, its eyes on Rapidash as it blasted away at the Pokémon and humans, but suddenly it staggered and collapsed to the ground. Combusken jumped towards it when it felt a sharp pain in the back of its head. It last sight of Rocket grunts converging on Rapidash before its vision went dark. A grunt rubbed the head of his Arbok then went to the downed Combusken and looked at it and started to scan it with a Black Pokégear and went still before signaling two others to get it into a sling as he dashed towards the Rapidash.

Sham dodged a strike and smirked at her opponent.

"What's the matter axy, can't keep it up?" She purred as she looked at him, not letting her see that her eyes had noticed her team was getting ready to rush him.

"Hold your tongue bitch, once those two are done with the others, I'll burn you and leave you with that weakling to slow those things down with your meat." He snarled as she smirked and threw one of her knives at him, he dodged it but her Persian slammed its head into his groin and he dropped to his knees in pain. Sham dashed at him and used her remaining knife to cut away his watch and looked at it as he tried to get up before the other Rocket members' dog pilled him and one injected his struggling form with a knock out drug and he went still. The Rocket who had scanned the downed Combusken came to Sham and looked nervous before he blurted out what he had discovered.

"Boss, I scanned the two Pokémon, they have some kind of _implants_ that might be connected to their nervuis systems, I don't think we should take them back to base, they might have homing devices built in." Sham stared at the Grunt before turning to glare at their prisoner and looked conflicted for a few seconds before her eyes hardened.

"Someone call the boss, tell him were heading to burner lab one and to get Joyful to meet us there. Tell her we have two Pokémon for her to perform surgery on to remove two devices, one each. And make sure our prisoner is knocked out; I want someone to scan him before we move, if he's bugged Joyful can take it out without any anesthetic." Sham snarled as she walked off, her Persian followed after her as the grunt stood looking after her for a few seconds before he moved to carry out her orders.

A figure in a cloak hiding its face moved through the crowds of Laverre City as the rain fell, trying to move quickly but keep people from noticing it beyond the hustle and bustle to get out of the rain. As they neared the city's Gym the figure looked up and noticed the sign on the door said closed for renovations. The figure moved along the building before it dashed down the side of the building, stopping at a door where it put a key into the lock, opened it and slipped inside. It came into a coat room and put off his cloak to reveal Clyde who put the cloak away and walked through a doorway and entered a hallway that had an oriental design to it. He walked through the building, looking about and thinking how he'd spent some time here as a child, when he first met _her_ and how proud he was when she achieved her rank here.

"Sir Clyde, what are you doing here?" A voice called out to him. He looked up and saw a dark skinned girl with flowing black hair with a pink flower in it on her left side wearing a pink Furisode carrying a box down a hallway to his right.

"Blossom, hey there need a hand? Sorry to stop by unannounced but I need to talk to her, is she in her studio or at the challenge field?" Clyde asked as he smiled at her and took the box from her, looking into it and seeing rolls of fabric. As Blossom stretched her arms she looked at him.

"She's in her office, the last challenger yesterday favored Rock types so the field's a bit messed up right now. Should be repaired in the next few days and the field out back should be enough once the rain lets up, mind taking that to her? The others have a meal waiting for me in the kitchen; make sure you bring her over after your _talk!_ " Blossom said as she walked off and Clyde felt his face go red at what she instigated.

"I swear; those four spend more time gossiping about the two of us then working!" Clyde muttered to himself as he walked, carrying the box towards her office. He opened a door and walked into a design studio with wide windows that showed the front of the building, a manikin with a half-finished kimono on it and a woman with black hair that flowed to her bottom in a pink kimono sat on a chair before a desk with her back to the door.

"That you Blossom, just drop the box anywhere and tell the girls to save something for me, I'll be having a late breakfast after I finish this." The woman said. Clyde put the box down and walked quietly to her and hugged her suddenly. She jolted and looked down then over her shoulder, when she did so he caught her lips in a kiss that caused her to close her eyes. She got up from her chair and threw her arms around Clyde's neck and pulled back, looking at him with bright gray eyes that he saw a spark of humor in them.

"Nice greetings stranger, but my _fiancé_ might have a problem with it." She said with a hint of mischief in her voice. He chuckled as he held her and adopted a fake looking frown.

"Someone left you alone, where is the fool so I can have a talk with him?" He asked as he looked at her, causing her to laugh in the way that had always brought joy to his heart. _By the ancients, what did I do right to have found you my lady?_ Clyde thought as he looked at her, but why he was here had to have shown on his face, because she looked at him for a few seconds before she started to frown as she read his face.

"Hey, what's wrong, you usually come over in the afternoon and I can tell something's up." She asked as they moved apart. He sighed as he pulled up a chair as she sat back down.

"I overheard something a few nights ago, something I needed to look into. It's bad, I don't know how bad it is but I needed to talk to you about it." Clyde said as the woman he was talking to started to glare.

"What has your mother done now?! I know you love her but she's been trying to split us up for years! I don't know how you can still care about her!" She said as she crossed her arms and huffed. He looked at her with a sorrowful look and to her surprise nodded his head.

"I'm starting to see that you're probably right about that, you remember how mother changed after that time around my sixth birthday, how she and uncle were acting so smug in the morning and by nightfall were so shocked and dismayed? I don't know how it's done or why it was lost, but the stories we grew up with, about people using abilities like Pokémon, they are probably true." Clyde said as he watched her face go slack with shock.

"How the hell did you make that discovery?" She asked once she found her voice. He looked at her and shook his head.

"Saw my mother's favorite brother control three… _things_ made of stone and then blast one with a bolt of some kind of grey energy blast, I know how it sounds, but I saw it with my own two eyes Val." Clyde said as Val looked at him.

"Okay…so humans can have powers like Pokémon and that slimy creep has them. But what caused you to think that about your mother?" Val asked as she looked at him as her thoughts ran in circles. _Clyde didn't ever excuse her behavior, but he only said that she wanted what_ _ **she**_ _felt was best for him, which wasn't me. And I could tell that it hurt him to say, that he was realizing his mother didn't trust him to pick out who he wanted to spend his life with, but he always gave her the benefit of the doubt. If she's done something to cause him to turn against her, then it has to be something major._ She thought as she looked at the man she loved and saw he was struggling, his head faced down, looking at the floor. She reached over and touched his arm, smiling at him as he looked at her.

"Clyde, whatever it was I'll do whatever I can to help you." Val said softly. He looked at her and smiled, exhaled a breath before he started to talk.

"They found my aunt, my father's sister. She's dead, but she had two children, I'm not sure who or where they are but I overheard my mother saying that 'one was still young enough to mold'. They were talking about taking them away from their parent and sibling, hiring people to force them to have a breakdown and a judge. And they said a 'shipment had been stolen', I don't have any idea what they've gotten my family involved in, but I'm worried." Clyde said as he started to look angry. Val looked at him and just let him continue.

"I don't know what to do, act like I don't know anything and quietly investigate, try to find out what their planning? Act like I know nothing, do nothing, while trying to find my cousins? I have to do something." Clyde said as he looked at her and saw the worry in her eyes.

"I think what is lacking in this is _understanding_. I'll help you look into this, and maybe we'll find the answers to what should be done." Val said and seemed to struggle to say something before she sighed and looked at him with a sense of determination in her eyes.

"I don't know what will be at the end of this, but I'll be there for you until we get to it, I promise." Val said as she looked at Clyde. He smiled and leaned in and gave her a tender kiss.

"What did I do to earn your heart my lady?" He asked as he held her as she giggled.

Val looked out her window as Clyde walked away from the Gym, her mind in turmoil as she did so. She felt terrible, but she couldn't tell Clyde, no matter how much she wanted to. She had thought for years that what the former Gym Leader had done was a result of Psychic ability, yet what Clyde had told her put that in doubt about that. _If people could throw blasts of energy, then they might be able to use it do things that are…more subtle. Maybe I should look into his old books, see if I can find anything in his old things in the vault. I've tried to say anything about it before, but if I can find a way around it to tell him then maybe…_ Val thought as she left her studio and moved through the building. As she walked she stopped thinking and just moved along the hallways.

"Oh Valerie, did Clyde leave already?" A voice asked, causing her to turn to see a woman with pale skin with black hair in two side tuffs in a black kimono walking towards her. Valerie smiled at her and nodded at her, not even stopping her stride.

"You just missed him Kali. Tell the others I'll be in the basement, I have to look into a few things my predecessor left behind to the gym." Valerie said as she walked on, leaving Kali to look after her before she shrugged and continued on.

Valerie walking into a store room full of boxes and moved towards a stack in the corner and moved them to reveal an old looking trunk with a purple crystal sticking out of the top. She looked at it for a few seconds and let herself think back to when she had put this away after he died and she discovered she wasn't able to talk about what he had said on his death bed, and she gave a shudder at some of what he had said before he had passed on that night, she still didn't know what most of the things he spoke about really were. She put her hand on the crystal and sighed, it had been left to the gym but it was sealed shut and she didn't know how to open it, but this was the best lead she had on how people could have non psychic 'powers'. As soon as the thought passed through her mind the crystal released a soft glow and she heard the sound of a lock being undone.

She stared at it before she opened the chest and saw a few books in a pile, a diary on top with the Fairy Type symbol on it and her name under it next to a small crystal glowing softly. _Did he leave this for me? How did he control the lock, why did it open? I can't find the answers by just sitting around, I need to go forward as the old man used to say._ Valerie thought as she picked up the book and opened it and started to read it.

 _ **Valerie, if your reading this then one of two things happened , I told you how to or you came looking for answers about something I wasn't able to tell you before, well you know what. I won't apologizes for what I did to keep you from talking about what I said in my last days, Valiy there are forces out there who would kill you for knowing about it so I did it to protect you, never doubt that girl. If you've started to look into this like I wrote, you've started to look into Human use of Aura and yes, I'm serious about it. You've just started to understand the path but I'll tell you this, the Geass your under is controlled by the crystal next to this book, you can destroy it now but I would wait until you've decided what you're going to do, hide or fight. In the end you can use the books to walk in the same direction I did so long ago, or you can hide away, knowing that forces out there might decide to move against our city. If you haven't changed much then I know what you'll do. This journal has all my knowledge about what might affect the city and the books will tell you how to wake up your Aura. Kid, read on and take this to heart. Know that I go to my death knowing nothing but joy that I met you and watched you grow and find a person to love and one day marry, never forget that I loved you until my end, you were one of the best things that ever happened to me.**_

Valerie read the last line over and sniffed and rubbed at her eyes as she felt them sting.

"I have to tell the girls to clean here sometimes; the dust has to be bad for some of the things we've got storied away here. Maybe I should let this… _geass_ thing stand until I know more." She muttered as she put the diary down and picked up a thick book titled _**Aura and You**_ and nodded as she put the books away and moved to pick it up. _I'll tell him about this once I see him again, by then I should have a better understanding, besides my fall line is almost finished, I just need to decide on the order for the show and wait for a few models to get in contact for their Pokémon's fittings for the show and it should be okay._ Valerie, the Gym Leader of Laverre City and fashion designer thought as she carried she raised and eyebrow as she realized that the box that was a lot lighter then she thought it would be and walked back towards her studio.

"This was just what I needed after what happened back there." Nimue said with a sigh as she leaned back as she sat against a tree as her fishing rod was stuck in the ground in front of her, just within reach. _A relaxing day was just what I needed after the excitement, but I can't rest too much, so far they think I'm dead after what happened yesterday with the girls…. I need more power, if I had someone who could have held that bridge or could have carried all four of us maybe Bonnie wouldn't have been hit by that attack. Maybe if I'm lucky I'll find one for my team that'll give me the muscle I need._ Before Nimue had left the Center she had checked on what Water Pokémon had been seen around the area and noticed just what the Proffesor ordered were spotted in the rivers of Route 22.

"Hey lady, are you alright in the head?" A voice behind her caused her to look up and saw three kids, an older girl with blond hair in black in a black skirt and black dress shirt with a pink short tie, a black skinned boy with dark brown hair in a grey jacket short combo with a white handkerchief around his neck and a girl with red hair in a grey sailor suit looking hair her in shock.

"What do you mean?" Nimue asked as she looked at them. _I guess they're from a school back in town, maybe from one of the outer villages?_ Nimue thought as she watched the three kids.

"What do I mean, don't you know about Broken Horn?!" The older girl demanded as the other girl huddled behind the boy who looked at her. _No, he not looking at me, he's looking at the river and my fishing rod._ Nimue thought as she slowly turned her head.

"Broken Horn?" Nimue asked as she started to gain a bad feeling.

"It's the boss of the local area, a Gyarados whose central horn is snapped in half! It's so powerful and they say it kills Chimeras and eats them! It's been seen attacking other Water types and killing them!" The younger girl said. Nimue looked at the river and forced a little Aura to her eyes. She looked at the Pokémon in the water and saw the shapes of normal fish shaped Water Pokémon; she couldn't see a single Gyarados anywhere.

"And it attacks trainers along this part of the river? Oh come on, the League wouldn't let something like that free, the Rangers would come. That's just a local legend, right?" She asked the kids as she looked into the river. She didn't see the boy looked at the river with a hint of worry on his face.

"It moved into the area after construction of a dam was started upstream. They say its gathering strength to destroy the construction site and wash away the towns along the river to show what happens when humans intrude on its territory." The boy said with a note of fear in his voice. Nimue looked at the waters and noticed something the other Pokémon were avoiding, a kind of… _void_ in the water. She looked to the kids and had a flash back to when she was attacked. _Not again, I won't let other kids be hurt on my watch again._ She thought as she stood up and reached for her Pokemon balls as she looked at the river and noticed the void moving towards them. She stared at the void as the Water Pokémon in area started to move away from it, all but one that had its back to it. She saw some of what the void was and paled in shock before she scrambled backwards, the kids looking on in confusion as she scrambled for her Pokéballs.

"Move away from the water, move away from the water now!" She barked as the kids looked at her, shocked still before a splash and a red fish Pokémon landed on the ground before them. As soon as the kids looked before a at it a tentacle glowing purple slammed down between the humans and the Magikarp as something broke the water. The creature that floated on the water's surface looked like an ordinary Lapris if you didn't count two horns on its head in a virtual line, four tentacles on its sides above its flippers and white crystal spikes on its shell. Nimue looked at it and turned to the kids.

"I'm guessing that's one of the Chimera you talked about? There a reason the League hasn't shut the Route down?" Nimue asked as she looked back towards the water as the creatures tentacles waved wildly.

"There's never any evidence about them after Broken Horn is done." The boy said quietly as it

"Go Goldduck, Samurott! Goldduck Confusion carry, get that Magikarp away from the water, Samurott Watergun on that…. Thing's tenticles, keep them away from us!" Nimue cried to as her two Pokemon sprang into action. A glow formed around Magikarp and it flew through the air to land by Nimue who dropped to it and looked it over as she kept one eye on the Magikarp and the other on the creature as Samurott shot a water spiral at the creatures head, only for the horns to glow and a turquoise force field formed between the water spiral and the creature. Nimue watched as the creature slammed it's tentacles as her Pokémon dodged them, however something about it was bothering her. As she watched she suddenly realized what it was. _The strikes are forcing them away from us, no away from…!_ Nimue jolted and threw herself at the kids, pushing them away as a tentacle shot at where they were, grabbing her instead of them. As she was pulled into the air she felt somethingshe had only felt once before, it was draining her Aura.

"A Chimera is able?" She wheezed as she felt her strength start to leave her, staring she saw one of the crystals on its back start to change color as her vision started to darken. _I've got to get away, I'm not going down like this!_ She thought as she raised her right arm and started to try and focus on her Aura.

"Litleo, Exploder Will-O-Wisp!" The cry shocked Nimue as purple fireballs hit the tentacle that was holding her and blasted the limb sending her to the ground.

"Great Job! Let's not let'em get ahead of us Riolu, Focus Blast on its side!" A voice called out. Nimue forced herself to look as someone helped her up and saw the two younger kids commanding two Pokémon, a Riolu and Litleo as her own Pokemon shot spirals of water at the creature. She felt arms on her and looked to see the older girl helping her up as she watched the battle.

"No….you don't…." Nimue began as she looked at the battle. _Know what that thing can do, if it drains you kids you could die!_ Nimue thought as she tried to recover her Aura so she could protect them. As she watched the battle she felt the tentacle around her start to lighting, looking down she saw it decompose as she watched. She shot a look at the battle and notice that the tentacle that had grabbed her was still broken, surprisingly not releasing any liquid of any kind.

The boy gritted his teeth as the creature shot a Poison Needle attack from its horns at both him, his friend and their Pokémon. _This thing might be one of the reason old Broken Horn is always trying to scare people away from the river, if it is then I think I agree with it. How can we kill this thing?_ He thought as he tried to dodge, wincing when a needle hit his leg. He winced as he felt the pain and stumbled when he felt his leg go numb. _Paralysis from a Poison attack, how did it?_ He thought as he tried to stumble backwards as he watched his Riolu jump to avoid a need only to be slammed into the ground by a tentacle strike. As the tentacle moved to grab it, a blue fireball hit it as Litleo moved and grabbed Riolu's tail and pulled it back towards its trainer. When both they and his friend reached them Riolu formed a green energy dome and started to tank the white needles .

"We're losing ground, how can we get out of its range, and Lapris can go on land remember?" His friend asked as she looked at his leg in concern. He ignored her and looked at the creature as it moved onto the ground as it continued to fire white needles at the shield. _Needles to lame and tentlces to bring the prey to it, did someone make this thing?_

"Yeah but they're not fast. Get the others and get out of here, my leg won't let me run, I'll hold it off as long as I can." He said as he tried to struggle to his feet as he looked at the creature as it moved towards them slowly.

"That's insane, I'm not leaving you Loïc!" She said as she spun him around and he fought to stay upright. Loïc looked at her and snapped back.

"Louise, there's no choice! You guys have to live, me and Riolu will figure something out to survive this, but you have to go!"

Nimue looked on as the needles shot at the dome and saw the creature was fully out of the river and nodded, this was it, her team could _end_ it now.

"NOW, ICE SPEAR!" Nimue's scream shocked Louis and Loïc and they stared as a spear of pure ice suddenly speared the creature through its neck. The creature stood there as its neck disintegrated away. The spikes on its back started to lose their glow as the shell started to fall apart as the body started to turn into a-sludge like mass.

"Thanks for the help kids, but next time make sure you have at least an idea what you're up against. And the name's Nimue by the way." Loïc turned and looked at the woman they had stopped to talk with. Loïc recalled his Pokemon and saw Louis doing the same and smiled at the teen.

"Yeah, thanks for the save there, I'm Loïc, these are my friends, this is Louis and that's Elin, we're students at Saint Re'golras." Loïc said as he offered Nimue his hand as she took it.

"KARP KARP KARP!" Magikarp cried out as it flopped towards them, looking up at Nimue in awe.

"What, do you want to come with me little one?" Nimue asked as Magikarp closed its eyes as it jumped up and down. Nimue smiled as she threw a Pokéball at the Magikarp and caught it, bending down and adding it to her belt. As her other Pokémon came over to her, her Samurott bent down before Loïc.

"I saw you get hit kid. Samurott will carry you to the nearest Center, and I aint let you say no." Nimue declared with crossed arms as she looked at him. He chuckled as he looked sheepish and when he tried to move backwards Louis and Elin both grabbed his arms and moved he towards the Water Type.

After the people and Pokémon had moved away from the river bank, a Pidgey flew to the sludge pile and dug into it, finally revealing a hexagon shaped crystal glowing an aqua-blue. The Pidgey picked up in its claws and flew off, as it did so another Lapris with horns on its head raised its head from the water, looking at the group as they moved off, recording who they were so they could be cataloged and if judged a threat, eliminated.


	16. Chapter 16

I made a mistake last Chapter, I forgot to put what happened to one of my characters! I can't believe it, I reread it and I can't believe I made such a rookie mistake so I went back and fixed it and Happy Belated Chrismas everybody, and I will have a new offering called Trailers where I'll put trailers on what I'll be working on up on the last day of this year so look forward to it and I'll add the Dream Ash had in Chapter 1 on the same day if life lets me do that. If not everyone have a rocking New Year's Eve and see you sometime next month!

Riley looked up as he rode his Salamence high above as the others moved swiftly over the ground, Cameron and his Hydreigon were hugging the ground as they followed Rosette and Brock on Arcanine with Yuji and his Tauros as the rearguard as they moved toward Viridian. They had been making good progress since they've left the cabin and hadn't come across any Chimera, which while good was worrying. Especially once they started to come across dying trees connected to cables of some kind of silk like Yuji had found and trailed back to that cave he found. As his Dragon Type flew on Riley let his mind go over what they had learned so far and what he knew from experience. _I've hunted Chimera before and this is strange, the trees are being 'killed' by something_ _ **they**_ _have to be behind but why I can't figure out. They were sealed because they couldn't handle the death toll taking the other hives had shown, so what monsters were a part of this swarm, what horrors had been unleashed and how? Wait, what's that?_ Riley thought as he looked around and frowned as he noticed some fallen trees far off the pathway, all of them in the same direction. He followed the line they made and paled as he realized what the path formed was pointing toward.

"Down to the others, hurry Salamence!" Riley commanded his Salamence who hugged its wings to its body and dove towards the others, pulling out when they were just above Hydreigon. As they looked up at him as Salamance steadied its flight.

"There's a swarm of those things, I can see the path they took by the felled trees! The route their taking, I think they're going after Viridian!" Riley called as soon as he felt his voice would reach the others.

Brock and Yuji started to pale and Rosette gained a scowl on her face as Cameron started to look concerned.

"Did you see anything master, any traces beside the trees?" Riley shook his head at Cameron's question and looked at the others, his expression showing concern.

"No, nothing from the height I was at. I fear that's why we weren't attacked last night, those things got all the easy food that they could and gathered what they could to strike at Viridian." Riley said as Rosetta looked thoughtful. _What's making these drone things, how much bio matter is it using to make them, Chimera tactical response 103; outlast the enemy then kill it'. But if there are so many of them they might outlast us!_ Rosetta thoughts ran wild before she heard Brock's replay.

"We have to get back to Viridian; we have Intel they need to know that might change the battle completely!" Brock exclamation caused her to look over her shoulders; the look on her face caused him to continue.

"Those horned ones, the leaders! If we can take them out then the fighters become nothing more than animals, dangerous animals but animals non the less! We can beat these things, we can out think them!" Yuji exclaimed as his Tauros carried its trainer. Riley nodded and looked towards the horizon.

"We're almost within sight of Viridian, we can take stock of the situation and plan from there but we need to move!" Riley said as he patted Salamence neck and his Dragon type speed up, Hydreigon, Tauros and Arcanine following behind them. _I just hope we can make it in time!_ Brock thought as he looked ahead, hoping he would notice some sign of the condition in Viridian.

"Once we get there, Arcanine will get us to a safe spot to drop you off if they are attacking like we think they are Brock! Then I'll go help the defense!" Rosette called out loudly as Tauros moved closer to them, urged on by its trainer.

"Come on Tauros, faster! We've got to get back to Viridian! Damn it, I'd give you anything that Salma will be on the front line!" Yuji said as he held onto Tauros's saddle, the words caused Rosette to turn and look over her shoulder at Brock who looked at her, slowly paling at the look in her eyes.

"This Selma, she's not the one who's a gym trainer in Viridian, she was up on those mountains with you all?!" Rosetta asked with a hard tone to her voice as Brock slowly nodded his head.

Jenny snarled as she carried her Growlithe, ducking behind a car as the white needles one of the hornless Chimera sent at her flew over her head, cursing as she cowered behind a wall and cursed. _If I see that bastard representative I, I don't know what I'd do._ Jenny thought Albert had being particularly difficult and had tried to stop them, talking about how this was an isolated incident and that Chimera would never attack a city like Viridian, wait for the expedition to come back, it wasn't as bad as they made it out to be. Jenny had been at the barricades they had barely been able to set up when a swarm had charge down the road, thankfully the Militia had gotten most of the civilians out of there and the defenders there hadn't suffered any casualties besides a few wounded humans and Pokémon, and they had been falling back but the civilians were safe and that was what mattered. A low moan caused her to look at her Fire Type, Jenny looked down at it with a pained look, it been speared by one of the hornless Chimera's stinger limbs while it was glowing purple, and her Growlithe had swayed before falling to the ground, its legs falling it. Jenny had slammed her tonfa onto the Chimera's head, grabbed her Pokémon and had called out to retreat as she saw the white needles the Chimera had started to fire. The Millita had done a fighting retreat, during which Jenny had been cut off with a few other trainers who were using anything as shelter form the Chimera as they tried to fight back. She turned when she heard a form drop down next to her, seeing Giovanni as his Nidoking and Nidoqueen moved forward, an energy wall in front of both of them as they stood in front of the humans and Pokémon.

"If Albert lives, I'm going to kick his ass." Giovanni said darkly as she looked between the Protects his Pokémon formed. Jenny nodded absently and silently promised to do the same as her Growlithe looked up at her. She just hugged it closer to her, cursing silently as she did so, blaming herself for the condition of her Pokémon. Giovanni noticed the Fire type in her arms and frowned.

"Why haven't you recalled your Pokémon, it looks like it could use it." Giovanni's question caused Jenny to wince before she answered.

"Something is blocking the return; I think it's the Chimera's poison. I've never seen anything like it, hell I've never even heard of something like that! But where the hell did you come from?" Jenny snarled as she looked at the Chimera as they moved towards the two Pokémon as others tried to get into the building along the side of the street. _A poison that negates the Pokéball, what in the name of science, that can't be the primary reason these things have it, a secondary effect then. But what's the primary, the way the poison affects the Pokémon it can't be to stop the ball that's insane. It must be meant to weaken its victims, but why would it affect the Pokéball?_ _And why are those things in the back not moving in, just standing there?_ Giovanni thought as he tried to figure out a way to throw the Chimera back and why the Alphas were standing towards the just within sight of the battle.

"I was leading a party of trainers from the Gym to help at making a barricade in case that idiot did what he did, figured I'd use my own authority to help out, the few that made it by you all, they're doing what they can to keep the people safe. But enough about that, have those horned things moved closer, or have they just stood there?" Giovanni demanded as he looked at the Alphas as the Chimera stood far back and winced as small white needles hit the Protects his two Pokémon had up. Jenny looked up from trying to treat her Pokémon to look at the horned Chimera and frowned as she tried to work through the haze that was the last ten minutes and shook her head. Giovanni looked at her before he looked at the horned Chimera as he grabbed a Pokéball.

"Come out Rhydon, time to Rampage!" Giovanni called out as he threw the Pokeball and his Rhydon appeared, roaring as it did so.

"Jenny stay down, my team's got this. Nidoking, Nidoqueen; Keep the Protects up and get ready to drop when I say so then bring it back up right after. Rhydon start charging a Hyper Beam, target the closest horned Chimera. Let's see what will happen if one of them dies. Ready….Ready….FIRE!" Giovanni cried out as his Pokémon dropped their Protect before Rhydon fired a beam of yellow-orange energy that shot straight at the horned chimera before one of the hornless ones intercepted the beam, its body exploding in a shower of liquids and parts. Giovanni stared as the Protect formed back into place before the white needles sent at them from the Chimera and snarled as he looked at the Chimera. _So I was right, those are the commanders of this farce. And the soldier things are so loyal because of maybe some kind of limited telepathy or some other method. And it sacrificed one of its pawns to save itself so is it sentient or something else?_ Giovanni thought as he looked at the horned Chimera and felt his glare harden as he saw the horned Chimera look right at him. He saw some of the Chimera turn away from the attacking the buildings and turned towards the shielded humans and Pokémon. Giovanni just chuckled a little as Jenny looked up at him as he started to speak.

"Those things are smart, they realized I was trying to kill one of their leadership castes and reacted accordingly. Jenny take your Pokémon and try to get away, call Pallet Town if you can, those people need to be warned that this place might Become Lost. Tell the mayor to sound the evacuation alarm, try to get as many people away from here as you can, my people and I'll buy you all the time we can." Giovanni said as he reached into his pockets and drew forth two knives as Jenny started to back up as the Warriors raised their stingers at the Protect. Jenny looked at Giovanni as she hugged her Growlithe to her body as she realized what he was saying. _He's expecting to die holding the line. If these Chimera can take Viridian they'll slaughter all of Pallet and then there's the farms, the hamlets and the hurricane to consider, we need to send an alert so they can have at least a chance to survive._ Jenny thought as she closed her eyes and turned away from Giovanni.

"Thank you Gym Leader, you're an honorable man." She whispered as she started to dash away from the battle before an explosion caused her to turn, seeing two of the horned Chimera had been killed by. Two screaming cries caused her to look up and see two trainers on two Dragon types coming out of the sky.

"FLAME CHARGE, Break through them!"/ "Rock Tomb Tauros, in front of the buildings!" Two voices cried from behind the Chimera before an Arcanine with a barrier of flames around it burst through the Chimera behind where the horned ones had been and a Tauros with a rider on it charge after the Fire type, its eyes glowing as boulders rose to block the Chimera from the buildings before the Tauros stopped in front of the Protect as the Arcanine stopped beside it, allowing Jenny and Giovanni to see the riders on the backs of their Pokémon. One of the figures got off the back of the Arcanine and grinned at them through the shield.

"Hello all, I presume that Salma got through without too much of an incident?" Brock said with a grin as he adjusted his backpack. The two trainers on the Dragons threw out two Pokéball each and released and Infernape, a Poliwrath, a Ferrothorn and a Lucario. The Ferrothorn formed a domed energy shield between Brock and the other Chimera and the Poliwrath dashed at the Warriors while the Infernape and Lucario charged at the horned chimera.

"Brock, your back!" Jenny said as soon as she recovered and Giovanni looked at the battle and made a choice.

"Drop the Protects and go help the Poliwrath destroy those Chimera, Rhydon back them up! Your group's timing is impeccable Doctor. But where are the other two who went with you?" Giovanni asked as his three Pokemon charged at the Warriors. Brock only grimaced before he saw Jenny had her Growlithe in her arms and the condition it was in.

"Officer Jenny, what happened to your Growlithe, why haven't you recalled it?" Brock asked as he gave it a quick examination and winced as he saw the state it was in.

"One of those hornless bastards stabbed it and I can't recall her to her ball, I don't understand why that could be possible." Jenny said as she laid her Pokémon on the ground as Brock continued his examination. Giovanni walked past them and stopped next to Yuji who was watching the battle as Riley and Cameron's Dragon shot blasts at the horned Chimera as Infernape and Lucario threw them into the air

"There's a reason their killing those things that way?" Giovanni asked as he watched the Chimera die. Yuji remained silent before speaking, just watching the carnage.

"The ones with horns explode when they die, a final fuck you. We're lucky that the other things aren't like that or we'd really be in trouble." Yuji reported as he sat on his Pokemon. Brock picked up Growlithe and turned to the Arcanine and its rider.

"Rosetta I need to get to the Hospital, this girl needs treatment, before she gets worse, this poison it's just like the spore." Brock said as the two Dragons landed and their trainers got off them before they charged at the Chimera. Rosette looked at the battle before nodding and gesturing for Brock to get on.

Salma cursed as she pressed she and her Machamp pressed their bodies against the table they had pressed against the door. When Giovanni had led a party from the gym, she had been directed to help people along the main avenue prepare if the barricade failed, and when the Chimera had broken through the town's border she had helped people into a restaurant and had thrown the tables against the windows had held them off with her two Pokémon until she had to retreat. _I don't know how long this can last, those things are relentless! That horned thing, when Onix crushed it, the explosion took him out, thankfully Machamp was able to avoid getting hit, but why'd those things start acting so wild when it died? They started to attack each other before Machamp attacked one of them. Just gotta stay alive, gotta keep fighting, after all where there's life there's hope._ Salma thought as she felt the doors buck through the table and winced as she tried to hold the table in place.

"Are we gonna be okay miss?" A soft question caused her to look at a little girl in a raincoat with the hood up. Salma looked around and noticed that everyone who wasn't holding something against the windows were by those who were with chairs or piece of wood ready to strike at anything that might break through. The girl was alone and looking back she saw other children with their backs facing the door, a few boys and girls who were huddled in a ball, some of them even seemed to be in shock.

"Don't worry kid; we'll make it out of here alive. Just find somewhere to hide and leave this to the grownups to handle and we'll be okay. Trust me, I'm one of the best trainers at the Gym and I've fought Chimera before, we can beat'em." Salma promised the girl who nodded before tensing when they all heard gunshots, the kids still aware started to cry.

Rosette rode her Arcanine through the streets; she had dropped off Brock with Growlithe at the Center and now they were making a half circle back to the battle to make sure nothing had slipped by the main barricade, she had to make sure nothing got by them, she had to defend the City, she had to defend her family! _Where are you sis, you'd better be alive or so help me I'll drag you back to life before I kill you myself._ She thought as she looked about as her Pokémon carried her through the city, her mind racing as she tried to find any sign of her sister. A cry ahead of her caused to her to notice a four of the hornless Chimera trying to get in to a building. Looking about she saw that they the marks of battle, the corpse of an Alpha and hastily made barriers on the windows of the bulding.

"Hello misplaced aggression. Let's go partner, Blaze runner tactical." She said with a smirk on her face as she drew her guns. She fired as Arcanine charged, hitting two of the Chimera in the head, killing them instantly. Arcanine slashed down with glowing claw as it ran past the last two Chimera and spun about pointing right at the two of them before it released a blast of fire straight at the last two Chimera, one still standing before a shot from Rosette at its head killed it.

"Best shot in the Guard, no matter what they say." Rosette said with a smirk as she holstered her guns and looked at the building. She noticed boards and tables against the windows and moved towards the building before calling out.

"THEIR DEAD! You can come out now; they're making a place to hold out at the Pokémon Center! I'd make for that if I were you all!" Rosette called as she looked at the building. One of tables blocking one of the windows moved a little and Rosette saw an eye peak out.

"She's right, the Chimera are all dead! We're saved!" Someone inside cried out as a small cheer rose from within as the door was open and people ran out, running towards the Pokémon Center, so of them carrying children as they moved. After a few seconds a Machamp came out smiling at with...Salma holding the hand of a young girl following behind, Salma looking at the girl.

"SALMA!" Rosetta cried as she ran at her sister, a smile on her face before she swept her up into a hug. Salma looked startled before she returned the hug when she realized who was hugging her.

"ROSSETA?! What are you doing here, were the Guards sent to help out?" Salma asked as she tried to understand why her sister was here.

"Long story little sis, come on, head back to the Center with your little friend and provide backup with Machamp, I'll meet you there later, so go now!" Rosetta said with a pointed look before she got onto her Pokémon and they moved off towards the borders of the town. Salma watched her sister leave and looked down at the little girl with her. _Sis is right, it's best that I make sure that these people make it to the Center in one piece._ Salma thought as she looked after her sister for a few seconds before turning back to the girl with her.

"So little one, lets get a move on, say what's your name?" Salma asked as she lead the girl off. As Machamp watched their back the girl replied

"Anastasia, but everyone calls me Anny." Anny answered as they walked after the others.

Shadow had been fighting Chimera since he had reached the area where Happy's place was and breathing heavily as he and his Pokémon bunched together as fourteen Warriors with glowing stingers encircled them while three Alphas watched from far back each far enough apart that their explosions wouldn't hurt the other two, watching as their slaves snarled at Shadow and his team. Shadow had come across a probing team of four Alpha's and twenty Warriors coming towards the place where Happy had their hideout and he had released his whole team to deal with them, leading the charge as they ran at the Chimera. They had killed one of the leaders and six of the others, but they had wised up and started to fire _Attacks_ of all things at him and had driven them back, Noivern growled as it flexed its wing claws as the glow on them pulses as it feed the Dragon Claw attack more power as flames started to gather around Rattata as Venomoth hovered and a purple liquid started to leak from its mouth. Shadow looked over the Warriors and noticed that they were barely keeping their attention on him. _Maybe if I can kill one more of the leaders then some of them might runway? And if I can kill one of them I could use their 'death booms' against them._ Shadow thought as he looked at the Alphas standing far behind the combat. As the Warrior's moved closer he looked at his team and started to show more confidence then he felt about their chances and opened and closed his mouth, he couldn't lie to them so he wouldn't.

"We might not make it out of here guys, but we will send most of these scum to whatever hell awaits them before us!" Shadow said as he raised his blades as they started to glow purple. His team roared as the Chimera closed in. _This is_ _it, only thing to do now is fight and hope to live._ Shadow thought as activated an Aura Tech and his blades gained a purple glow to them. One of the Alphas moved forward a few feet before a blade flashed through the air and sank into its head before it exploded, causing the Warriors to start to stare aimlessly before the Warriors ran at Shadow and his team, their stingers losing their glow as they attacked.

Venomoth shot a blast of a purple liquid that hit two of the Warriors as they moved over each other to get at them. Noivern surged forward and sliced with its claws, killing two of the Warriors and grabbed one in its mouth before throwing it at one of the Alpha's farther back. Rattata shot forward, flames covering it as it ran forward, Shadow running behind it slicing with his blades at the Warriors Rattata's Flame Charge had stunned, killing two more. Thowing knives rained from a tree hitting the heads of three. One of the Warriors pointed its stingers at Noivern and shot white needles at it, the attack striking Noivern and pushing it back before a throwing knife hit it, killing it as two of the Warriors started to fire white needles into the trees, hoping to get the thrower. Shadow looked at the battle and started to think about what he had seen so far. _Kill a leader and the fighters with them lose their ability to use moves, if more leaders are there kill the warriors to adjust the ratio of how many there are and the fighters can use moves again. Gotta tell that gym leader and hope they can handle it._ Shadow thought as he looked at the leaders and wondered how he could handle them.

Suddenly a knife hit an Alpha in the back of its head, killing it. Its explosion caused a few trees to catch fire as the Warriors staggered before some of them charged at Shadow madly. The two hit by Venomoth got back to their feet shakily, and barely took a step forward towards Shadow when Noivern sliced them in two with its claws. Shadow looked at the Warriors as they tried to strike and hit Rattata and he noticed that they just used their physical body parts, not a single attack. _If I'm right that leader can only control at most five of them and let them use attacks, then that means we have to kill the leader before the fighters._ Shadow thought as he looked at the last Alpha as it looked at him, each sizing the other up before three of the fighters threw themselves at Shadow. Rattata's flaming body charge through them and tore the head off of one of them before Shadow spun and sliced through the necks of the other two and looked at the final three fighters as they moved by the last leader. The leader started to form a glowing ball between its stingers when a final knife flew and hit its head, sinking deep into it before the glow winked out before a great explosion created a dust cloud around the Chimera, Shadow jumped backwards as his Pokemon converged, the dust cloud parted to revealed the last three Chimera, one cutting at a tree and the other two fighting at each other. A sickle on a chain flashed out the tree the lone Chimera was cutting at, striking its head killing it as Shadow flashed by the last two Chimera, slashing with his blades killing them with swiftly. Shadow looked upwards at the tree as the sickle was pulled back into the leaves as Shadow's Pokémon moved closer to him, all looking upwards at the darkness of the tress.

"Whoever you are, thanks but can you come out and talk to me?" Shadow asked before a figure shot out of a tree and landed before him. Shadow looked at the figure, who was revealed to be a woman in a white copy of his suite that looked straight at him, looking at her Shadow thought back to how she had slain the Chimera and released who it might be. _Gabby, is that you?_ Shadow thought as the woman walked towards him and looked at him before she bowed to him and looked at him. Her helmeted head looked right on him and he felt the weight of her gaze as she looked at him.

"Hello _Shadow_. It's nice to finally meet you." She said coldly as he looked at her and sighed. He looked about and started to recall his Pokémon and turned back to looked at her. Shadow looked at her and decided to bite the bullet. Recalling his Pokémon he looked at her and gestured at towards Happy's base.

"She gave you that equipment, didn't she? You lead I'll follow." Shadow said before Gabby nodded and jumped off into the trees, Shadow moving after her, hoping they wouldn't encounter other Chimera but dreading the meeting that would happen later.

Happy looked about her screens, ever since the alarms had soon the movement of the Chimera and seen Shadow fighting those things Gabby had tried to leave and help her, barely stopping to change into the white suit Happy had designed and built a few months ago incase Shadow's suit was ever damaged. She noticed movement outside and relaxed when she saw it was Shadow and Gabby she relaxed and unlocked the doors, releasing a sigh of relief that they were back, she dashed towards them and threw herself at Shadow as soon as he and Gabby walked into the room. Happy looked up at Shadow, her eyes releasing tears as she looked up at him

"Your back! When I saw the Chimera attacking I was so worried, I now you can handle one Chimera but there were over twenty of them! I I I was so scared!" Shadow looked down at her and rubbed her head.

"I'm fine Sarah, I'll admit I was a bit worried but she saved me and turned the tide." Shadow said as he turned to the figure in white. She said nothing as she pushed a button on her helmet and revealed Gabby looking at him with a scowl on her face. Shadow winced and sighed as he moved his hands. _I put it off long enough; I guess it's time to pay the piper._ He thought as he undid the straps of his helmet.

Shadow removed his mask to show his face, green eyes under spikey red hair. As soon as he moved his helmet away from his face and put his arms down she slapped him. Sarah winced but Shadow only turned back towards Gabby, a sorrowful smile on his face.

"Good to see you again Gabby, how have the years treated you?" Shadow asked as she puffed out her cheeks and they went red before she exploded.

"Don't you ask me that _Kotaro_! Do you know how Aya and Koga reacted when you never came back!? I know someone betrayed you but you could trust us, mean really! Why couldn't you have trusted..." Gabby begain before stopping at the look Kotaro sent her as he sighed.

"Gabs, Nobu was the traitor, he was one of them." Kotaro said, stopping Gabby's tirade as she stared in total shock. She stumbled backwards until she hit the wall, her eyes looking back over all the interactions she had with Nobu and she couldn't see any sign that was his true alliance.

"Nobu? But he was…if he was one of them, then anyone could have been." Gabby said as Sarah looked on with a frown. _The way she reacting I'm guessing the traitor was a good friend and they both trusted him, that makes a lot of sense about how he's talked about his past over the years._ Happy thought as she looked on.

"Yes, beside you three I didn't know who I could trust back home. I went into the underground because those people, they make Chimera, something that no one else knows how to do, and they know how **Chimeras are born**. I've fought members of them in every level of society and a few gym trainers here and there in Johto and Unova." Kotaro said as Gabby just stared at him as she tried to process what she was hearing, not comprehending just what he meant.

"Yeah, his mercenary jobs, that's how I met up with Shadow here in the first place." Sarah said as Gabby snapped her head towards her before Kotaro started to speak.

"A job to spy on a company CEO found a catalog of girls from the _school_ Sarah went to. I felt something was wrong from it so I decided to investigate the place, luck would have it that it was when she and her other two friends were escaping. When Sarah pulled her martyrdom act I knew I had to help her so the rest is history." Kotaro said with a shrug. Gabby looked shocked at what she had just heard and stared. _Nobu was one of them? I know Sarah said they were a lot larger than I thought they were but Nobu? The bastard's even on the monument but gods if he was one of them then anyone close to us could have been one of them. But why didn't…Aya. She couldn't act and Koga has a terrible poker face when not in combat or commanding a Pokémon. And everyone knew how I felt about him even in those days so one of them would have watched me twenty-four seven, one single The only way to keep us safe from them was for us to believe he was dead. He's spent years fighting just so we could stay alive. I just found him, I'm not letting him fight alone and Sarah could do with a positive female influence._ Gabby thought as she stared into space as events and knowledge finally crystalized in her mind and she came to a decision.

"You had no choice, you had to stay away to keep us all safe. Were you there, at the dedication?" Gabby asked as she looked at Kotaro who sighed and looked away.

"I was in a tree above you when you made that promise to the truth, but let's talk about what we can do to keep you safe for now and where you can hide with a new identity." Kotaro said only for stare when Gabby started to shake her head.

"No! You've been fighting for so long alone with just Sarah, _Happy_ to help you, I'm staying! She shown me a few websites I can publish reports on that might help expose these scumbags to take them down, and investigating was always my specialty! With my training from the Gym and how I've kept in practice I think I can at least watch your back." Gabby said as she gestured to the suit she was wearing. Kotaro frowned as he looked at her and let his thoughts swirl. _From what I saw out there she kept up her exercises so I can trust she can hold her own, but can I let her go into the underground with me, I don't think she'll remain unchanged. But it would be good to have someone watching my back, but can I let her?_ Kotaro thought as he looked at her, thinking how dangerous it was and the chance for Gabby to stay safe hidden away and relaxed she was safest with them.

"Gabby, are you sure about this, really sure? You won't remain the same person you are, you can't if you step into this world." Kotaro said as Gabby met his own with a smirk. She looked at him and he saw the steel and strength in her eyes and thought about all the stories she had broken, and why she had been transferred to Kanto.

"From now on you can call me Hikari." Gabby said with a strong tone to her voice, only to turn when Sarah started to snicker a little, erupting in laughter as the other two looked at her.

"'Hikari'!? That means 'light'! That's a perfect name for someone who's trying to bring those who hide in the darkness into the publicc's eye! Plus it's the opposite of Shadow so there's that!" Sarah laughed so hard she had to hold her stomach as she laughed as Gabby and Kotaro both blushed and Kotaro coughed lightly.

"Well…..Then if you're going down the Rattata hole, let me show you just what's at the end." Kotaro said as he held up his hand and Gabby stared as a purple Aura came over his hand, Gabby looked on in shock as Sarah grinned at her.

"That's….Aura." Gabby whispered in total shock as she swallowed as her worldview _changed_.

Agatha smirked as she walked through Pallet Town, looking at all the people going about their lives and took a deep breath before she released it. _This is what's important really, people living their lives in peace. With what happened in the mountains maybe I could move back together with Sammy, it'll be hard to hide what I am but maybe I could find a way around the runes and tell him all about what I've been up to over the years and time we've been apart._ Agatha thought as she walked. Living with Sam would be fun and since she had retired she needed something to do and with the mess her guests had left of her home in the mountains she needed a place to stay. _And I guess moving back in with Sammy wouldn't be the worst thing to do. I spent years in those mountains, trying to find what my sensei had sensed there and I came up with nothing, then maybe whatever it is, leaving it there might be the right thing to do_. Agatha thought to herself as she moved through Pallet, stopping when she dumped into a young looking girl who looked at her and paled before she dashed off, Agatha looking back at her with a frown on her face as the child ran off. She just looked at the child and frowned when she saw an older girl with the same blue color hair.

"Damn eyes are playing tricks on me again." Agatha muttered as she continued on her walk, a small feeling of hunger that caused her to change her destination. _Perhaps I should stop at Pallet House for a meal._ Agatha thought as a grin formed on her face.

Sapphire ducked into an alleyway and grabbed her chest, her heart pounding in her ribcage as she tried to get her breathing under control. _That was insane, who the hell was that old woman; she can't have been from home, could she? But if she wasn't than where did she come from, what could_ _ **she**_ _be, one of them, someone else? Why the hell did I have to run into a user while I was just trying to get a few things to eat!_ Sapphire thought to herself as she looked about to make sure there wasn't anyone around to overhear her and touched the bracelet around her right arm with a glowing finger, activating the communication rune on her bracelet to connect her to her comrades.

"Sapphire, is everything going alright? What did the casher not…." Tom began until Sapphire interrupted him with a fierce growl. _Why did this idiot have to be included with the team?_ Sapphire thought with a scowl on her face.

"No time Tom I need an ID on an old woman that bumped into me a few seconds ago, she didn't notice anything about me but my Identifier Rune told me she was a Ghost Auralist." Sapphire cut Tom off and he went silent as he tried to believe what he had just heard.

"But nobody from home was deployed so then she can't be from home. But that means, okay you're on the maid road, there's a bank I can hack into, the cameras are digital, got it. Okay give me a few seconds to fast-forward until you're on it and I got a side view of her. Got her give me a few seconds to ID her, and…..Oh, that's interesting." Tom trailed off in shock.

"What, who is she?" Sapphire asked as she looked out of the alley and looked after Agatha and wondered who she had discovered.

"Agatha, to be precise she's Agatha Oak, Wife of Professor Samuel Oak, Ghost Specialist and former member of the Kanto Elite Four, holds the record for longest tenure and she retired undefeated in all official League bouts." Tom said as Sapphire paled as she watched Agatha walked towards Pallet House.

"This is amazing, I mean if one of the Elite is aware of Aura then maybe all of them all, that's something to look into I mean it could help us out a lot of if we have others who would be against them, I mean this could be a game changer….."

"Our discovery is walking towards Pallet House, think she knows our Queen? Wait, Oak. As in that bitch who has a Pokémon spying on our Queen?" Sapphire asked as she stared.

"Give me a second; yeah the bitch is Agatha's in-law. Husband died when his youngest was a few years old, time is recoded as months **before** the attack so maybe he wasn't involved, cause unknown but they recovered an arm that had been chewed on, but remember where people were killed and dumped back home a few years back? I'm thinking his case wasn't something so simple." Tom said as Sapphire walked out of the alley.

"Given what she did during the attack I don't doubt she had something to do with it Tom, but the current problem?" Sapphire asked quietly as she moved along the buildings, staying away from people and trying to stay out of anyone's notice in her child form.

"Look you know how if she can't see you but those that can point you out to her she might start to wonder so turn it off Saph, and get out of there now. I'll send Weavile and Noctowl to keep an eye on her and see if something bites. Meanwhile I'll see if I can track down where the husband was before he disappeared, it's been years but maybe I'll find something." Tom said as Sapphire watched Agatha walk into Pallet house. _I sow hope she's not one of them, one of them as a member of the Elite, that would make it so much harder to take them down._ Sapphire thought as she walked towards the grocery to do some shopping for her 'family'.

Agatha walked into the restaurant and smiled as she took in the smells and sounds of the building as she looked around, taking in the ambiance of the place. _This is one of the greatest parts of the Town, from old Port to when Delia took over, I wonder if she hand it down to her son or will she pass it to someone else, I'll be around so I'll probably see when it happens._ Agatha thought as she looked around, not noticing someone walking towards her.

"Agatha, Agatha Oak is that you old lady?" A playful sounding voice caused her to turn and meet Delia's smiling face with a grin of her own.

"Hello Delia, how have you been? Where's that son of yours gone now?" Agatha asked as Delia laughed a little and gestured for Agatha to follow her, leading her towards a small table near the window facing the wildness.

"Kalos believe it or not, and he's met up with an old friend of his that moved there with her mother after the last Siege. What about you, shouldn't you be up in those mountains of yours?" Delia asked as Agatha laughed a little, a look of anger in her eyes that she forced away before Delia could turn back to look at her as she got into one of the table's chairs.

"No, let's just say I helped someone fight off some bandits and decided to leave the mountains early. I did a bit of damage to where I hang my hat so I decide to return to Pallet a little early this season. Sammy was fine with me coming in early and decided to go for a walk and stopped in for some food from my favorite restaurant in town. What about this place, anything new happening?" Agatha asked as she looked around the room.

"Well I put up a new boarder, and I have a new line on some cheaper ingredients from the Orange Islands. But enough about that, what do you want?" Delia said as she brought out a notepad and smiled at Agatha who laughed lightly.

Albia walked toward Pallet House, smiling as she walked, everything was perfect. Sure, Amanda was on the late shift today but she, Delia and Mr. Mime had preparing Delia's house for the hurricane that was due to hit with the week, and she and Delia were going to be staying at Amanda's house because it was in town instead of on the outskirts like Delia's house. All she had to do was handle the next few days, keep under _her_ radar and everything would be fine. She frowned as she thought of the Mr. Mime/spy that was living under the same roof as Delia, they had to find just what its orders were. _If she's one of them then I might need to get an escape Pokémon sooner or later, I like Delia, she took me in with a word, she even told me I should have said something when I first showed up for the Quest to handle the busy season before she made me an official employee as long as I like. But those bastards will probably burn all of Pallet just to kill me or capture me. Why are they so fanatical?_ Albia thought as she tried to make sense of what had happened to her at led her to Pallet. As she walked into the back of Pallet House Amanda shoved a platter into her hands and looked worried.

"Agatha is here, think she'll keep what you can do a secret?" Amanda asked as Albia stared before nodding.

Albia walked through the restaurant holding the tray and saw Agatha talking with Delia who turned when she saw Agatha's eyes catch sight of her walking towards them. Agatha's eyes darted from Delia to Albia and nodded at the girl before Delia turned around.

"And this is who I was talking about Agatha, Albia. She's my current boarder and a good cook all things considered. Not formally trained but she has a good sense of taste and that's hardest to train ya know. Albia, this is Agatha Oak, one of my oldest and best customers and Ginny's mother in-law." Delia said, causing Albia to try not to go pale as she heard Agatha's last name and relation. She did a good job but Agatha noticed something when Delia mentioned her in-law, a reaction of fear that she didn't like. _I think I should have a talk with that girl later on, away from Delia if that spark was anything to go by. If that bitch is_ _ **involved**_ _in anything that happened to her then I need to find a way to tell Sammy about her, our abilities and the connection to the bitch!_ Agatha thought as a she smiled at Albia.

"Albia is it, hello. I'm Agatha Oak, formerly of the Kanto Elite Four. It's a pleasure to meet you." Agatha said as she offered Albia her hand and Albia took it.

Albia sighed as she slipped into the restroom and into a stall before she hugged herself. _I hope Delia didn't notice anything when she mentioned Agatha's full name! I can't believe the person who saved me from them is connected to them, even by marriage!_ Albia thought as she tried to process just what she had learned she never noticed the door to the main area open and she opened the door to see _Agatha Oak_ staring right at her. Albia froze as Agatha held up a hand and quickly checked the rest of the stalls to make sure they were alone before turning towards her.

"I'll be quick; I saw your reaction to my relation to **her**. If you don't mind, I think you and I should have a talk about it, away from Delia if that makes it easier." Agatha said as Albia looked at her and felt a spark of _hope_. _If she's not acting then maybe she could help us deal with that Mime. But I can't risk it getting suspicious about me anymore than it already is, Amanda, she could talk with Amanda!_ Albia thought as she looked at Agatha.

"It's complicated but talk to Amanda about it, she knows why I reacted the way I did." Albia said quietly as she looked straight ahead, her senses not picking up anything but still worried they could be overheard.

"Does she know about….?" Agatha trailed off as raised a fist, Albia nodded at her.

"Yes, like I said talk to her about it, it's a long story." Albia said as Agatha nodded and walked turned towards the door.

"Hey guys, I found a path!" Ash called as he moved aside a branch and led the way onto a dirt path. The others followed him and looked to be relieved as they caught their breath. Ash looked about the trail, noticing a small hill on the other side of the trail and he could see what he hoped was Odyssey Village in the distance. _We made it, good we'll be able to worn the Center about that the wolves, people should be warned about them, maybe a Ranger or the police should come and deal with them._ Ash thought as he looked at his friends as they sat on the path.

"What was up with those wolves, they acted like were rabid!" Clemont asked as he panted as Bonnie dropped to her knees and panted. They had been making good time when out of nowhere they had been attacked by wild ordinary wolves of all things! Thankfully Pikachu had watched their backs while Serena and Lilith ushered Bonnie away while Ash and Clemont had defend them until they had lost them. Lilith panted as she thought back to how the pups that had been with the pack had acted.

"A hunter of some kind attacked them; did you see the bullet wounds on some of them? I think their leader was trying to establish its dominance over its pack; we were just the unlucky slobs who it found to demonstrate its might to its pack." Ash said as he panted causing Lilith to look up as the others looked at him. _He noticed that and it didn't detour him from making sure we were safe from them, that's instincts or a lesson he learned on the road, the question is which one was it?_ Lilith thought as she watched him.

"Can't be, hunting season isn't until three months from now and the nearest farm is days away from here. Who the hell could have?" Clemont thought out loud as he thought back to the wolves and realized Ash was right about them. He was so preoccupied with his thoughts that he never notice Ash looking at him, jointing down another mark that Clemont was a Gym Leader, only the Gym Leaders knew where every farm in their areas were without

Serena looked about, something about this place was familiar to her, had she been here before? _I know this trail, but how. Think why would I know this, mom brought me to the opening ceremony once and before we left I…._ Serena went still as she realized where they were and in the distance she heard the sounds of something coming at them.

"MOVE, GET OFF THE TRACK!" Serena cried out as she grabbed Bonnie and pushed her down the hill.

"Track? What does she…MOVE IT!" Ash said as he realized what Serena had, grabbing Clemont as he moved after Serena and Bonnie, Lilith following behind them, trembling down the hill moments before five Rhyhorns with humans wearing tracksuits on them came charging around the bend in the path, one of them slowing down and turned towards the group. The person removed their helmet, revealing a woman's face with short black hair over a heart shaped face that looked down at them with purple eyes.

"Hey there, you all okay? What did you guys get turned around…. wait a second. Serena, is that you girl?" The girl asked as she looked down at them with a surprised look. Serena looked up at the girl and smiled when she saw who was there.

"Lyn hey, it's great to see you! I guess my mom is here after all." Serena said with a smile as she looked up at the girl on the Pokémon.

"Yeah, teacher is here but what are you doing here? She said you had gone to get your first Pokémon and would see her back at your home after a short trip?" Lyn said as she looked from her Rhyhorn. _I never imagined that she would be here for the start of the season, and why did she come here? And who are her friends? The blonds look like siblings and the dark girl looks like someone who has an active lifestyle, but that boy, I think I know him, is that a Pikachu?_ Lyn thought as she got off her Rhyhorn and walked down the hill towards the group and noticed the Pikachu by Ash.

"Long story short, I need to have a talk with my mom. Oh, these are some friends of mine. These are Clemont and his sister Bonnie, Lilly Nightbloom and my old friend Ash Ketchum. Guys, this is Lyn Saint-Julia, the one of the best of her students and one of the best young racers in the league." Serena said, introducing Lyn.

"I only came in second in the last season Serena, I'm not that great." Lyn said as she rubbed the back of her head, blushing as she did so.

"Yeah, against the champion from the previous year and bet the person **everyone** thought would be the either the winner or take second place! But what are you doing, I thought the season doesn't start until the day after tomorrow?" Serena asked as she looked up at the track.

"Yeah, long story I decided to try the track to get my mind off things and distress. And some of the others who were feeding or looking over the track decided to join me for an improve race. Saw you all and decided to stop and see if you were all okay." Lyn said as she looked up at her Ryhorn and recalled it. She grabbed Serena and started to pull her towards the track in the distance as the others got up and followed after them. Lilith looked as she huffed as she let her thoughts run wild. _So her mother is here, good. I can share that blend of tea and maybe it'll help get some extra money for them. Not to mention bringing the plan ahead a bit, especially if you count on its secondary affect._ Lilith thought as she watched Serena walk off, being pulled along by her friend.

"I got you Lilly." Clemont voice caused Lilith to look up at Clemont bending and extending his hand towards her, causing her to blush a bit when she realized what he was doing.

"Thanks." Lilith said softly as she grabbed Clemont's hand and he pulled her back to her feet. Lyn and Serena had looked back and giggled at each other as they saw before Lyn pulled Serena after her, the others trying to keep up.

"So anyway teacher's staying at a room at the place by the track, so maybe your friends should stay at the center, but I'd be careful, **they're** here as well Serena." Lyn said with a scowl on her face as Serena looked confused for a few seconds before she realized who she was talking about and dropped her mouth open for a few seconds.

" _Here_!?" Serena exclaimed in shock as the others caught up to them. Serena looked shocked and stared into space. _They're so brazen to do it in the same town that both Circuit's use as the starting race? How, what changed to make them so brazen._ Serena thought as she just stood there until she felt someone pulling at her side, looking up she saw the others had caught up to them and Bonnie was looking up at her with a worried look.

"Serena, is something wrong?" Ash asked from behind her causing her to wince slightly.

"I'm fine guys; Lyn just told me something that shocked me. It's nothing really, just something I wasn't expecting. If our luck is as it's been I'll tell you about the problem once we see them." Serena reassured them as the others looked at her as Ash frowned.

James smiled as he moved out of the storage facility's office with the key to the garage they had put their truck in in his usual disguise of a green t-shirt and brown pants, throwing a small key up before he caught it in his right hand. _A few days to travel to_ _Lumiose City to make the handoff and another feather in our caps! And I can't believe how lucky we were to have been able to find those two! With them back with us our strength has increased a lot, now all we need to do is to make it back and this is done. Still I can't believe Ash took out all those gang members on his own, goes to show you if he ever takes the kids gloves off to run in the other direction._ James thought as he shuddered as he remembered a few other instants when Ash had shown his rage and savagery over the years. If the twerp, if _Ash_ ever decided that the three of them deserved his wraith, then he didn't want to think about what they would do, or if they would survive it.

"One thing I'm happy of is that he never felt the need to deal with us like that." James muttered as he joined the hustle and bustle of people moving about the city. He let his eyes wonder and looked up at two signs, one saying the ceremonial start of the Pokémon Racing League JR division would be tonight and the other proclaiming that a Pokémon Contest open for all genders would be held tomorrow and frowned as he stopped and looked at the sign as he stepped out of the flow of people to look at it. _Something about the wording, it's bothering me. Why just what is it that I'm not seeing or have heard about this?_ James thought before he resumed his walk back to his partners.

A few minutes later he had moved down two blocks when he heard a loud commotion ahead of him and noticed a few disgruntled looks on a few people's faces.

"Another one of those, really what is Jenny doing?" A woman asked with a scowl as the source of the noise moved closer.

"I think it's a travesty, I mean really, why would those punks bother us and take such actions in our town, I mean the Contest is one thing but this?" A man in a business suit said with a huff as he turned his head up in a way that James remembered his father doing before he had run away.

"Of course some people would have problems with them but really, the locals at least do it outside the city limits most of the time." James heard a voice to his side, turning his head he saw a few teens grouped together along the sidewalk's edge, each of them trying to look down the road. James looked about and saw a few adults looking at the teens with frowns on their faces. He looked about and walked towards the teens, deciding that he should get an answer from them about what was happening. Stopping just behind them he tapped a boy on his shoulder, gesturing at the older people behind him when the teen turned his head.

"Pardon me, but what's the noise and why are they looking at you all like that?" James asked as the teen looked at him as the others turned to look.

"You're not from around here, are you?" The teen asked as the noise got closer to them. James shook his head and noticed the others had adopted smirks on their faces as they looked at him.

"No not really, me and some friends of mine are here on vacation and well, the way they were talking…." James trailed off with a shrug.

"Then welcome to Kalos and just watch part of the local culture!" The teen said with a smirk as James noticed something darting between the cars on the road. _What on earth, are they doing what I think they are doing_ _ **where**_ _they are?!_ James thought with shock at what he was seeing.

"So what was that about Serena and don't try to dodge the question. You haven't changed that much over the years." Ash said as Lyn lead the group through the town. Serena sighed and shook her head and frowned as she looked ahead. _I don't want to talk about those memories, but given how my luck has been lately I might, no I will have to. I'll talk about what happened to me when and only when I'll have to._ Serena thought as she walked along the sidewalk and released a deep breath.

"It's not that they're _a_ _problem_ really, but I have a few issues with some of them. And I will say that some of them are pretty good people but some of them aren't and what they do." Serena said as she trailed off as she heard a noise from up ahead. She just held her head and closed her eyes, looks she had to face it now so she opened her eye to peak out, only for them to widen in shock. _Wait, is that Bolt?! What are the chances?_ Serena thought as she looked down the road in surprise.

"Guess you all are going to see just what Serena was thinking about first hand." Lyn said flatly as the others looked down the street.

Ash looked on with a shocked look as Lilith's mouth dropped open as Clemont closed his eyes and groaned as Bonnie, Pikachu and Dedenne only looked on in confusion. A Mightyena, a quadruped, leonine Pokémon with a red mane with a light brown body and a quadruped Pokémon resembling a fully-grown black lion with blue hind legs and a long thin tail ending in a yellow four-pointed star were charging through traffic without a care in the world as they moved between the cars on the road. Ash looked on shocked to notice each Pokémon had a **saddle** with a **person** on it. Each of them was wearing a full bodysuit with a helmet with each of them the color of the Pokémon they were ridding's type. As they dashed by them Ash noticed the curves of the rider of the Mightyena before she and her Pokémon were gone from sight, a few seconds later three police cards blew by, the local Officer Jenny following behind them.

As the police moved off Ash turned his head to look at Serena, and with a deadpan look on his face spoke.

"I'm guessing that its Street Racing gangs you were talking about, right Serena." Ash said with a completely calm tone on his face. Serena just laughed softly as the others turned to look at her.

"Oh yeah and Serena's problem is because one of those gangs kidnapped her once and others saved her." Lyn said as Clemont jolted and looked at Serena in shock.

"You're the girl that was kidnapped two years ago? No wonder you…" Clemont trailed off as he started to feel something behind him, turning he saw Ash's eyes were set in a hard line that looked at Clemont before he slowly turned to look at Serena, Lilith meanwhile had gone still and a savages scowl was on her face as she held herself and looked like she would happily murder someone.

"Someone kidnapped you?" Ash said with a look of death to his eyes and an edge to his voice. Serena looked at Ash and felt herself swoon at the look in his eyes and forced herself to keep herself focused on the present. _Ash looks like he'd murder someone who hurt me and part of me is… glad? I know I have a crush on him but why does it feel right?_ Serena a growl from Lilith caused Serena to turn and saw the look on Lilith's face and caught sight of light reflecting off of Clemont's glasses.

"Tell me those dead men walking are locked away where I…where people can't get at them." Lilith said as she clenched her hands around an imaginary throat as Bonnie eye went as hard as Lilith's.

"Yeah, I got rescued because they were after the others for trouble the gang that had me caused the people who rescued me, funny story they were another Street Crew." Serena said as she held her hands up. _I can't tell them that the real reason they were there to saved me was because those scum had kidnapped Bolt's sister, I owe them that much at least._ Serena thought as she looked at Ash. Lyn looked at the scene and pushed herself between Ash and the others, a bright smile on her face as she did so. _I think Serena found some good friends, but this is getting a bit dark._ _Better take them all to teach fast._ Lyn thought as she reached out and grabbed Ash and Serena's arms.

"So let's move on, Grace should be making sure the hall is ready for the ceremony just up ahead, spoiler alert, it's not a black tie afar." Lyn said as she pulled Ash and Serena after her, Pikachu jumping onto Ash's shoulder as he moved. Lilith shot a look at Clemont and shrugged and moved after them, him and Bonnie following them.

"So those riders, were they the local culture you were talking about? And the way those people were looking at you" James asked the teens. The man he had asked the question of just laughed before he replied to James.

"Yeah, their called Street Crews, most cities have at least one or two of them depending on local Pokémon and how people are, as for the looks well they think the idea of Street Crews are against the 'noble' traditions of Kalos like the new Pokémon contests." The teen said as he looked after the riders and the Police. James looked over the street and gave a small sigh at what he had heard.

"The old fogies don't like that some people bet on the races, five will get you ten that they'd bet on the _official_ Pokémon races, they don't like the fact that the racers bet money with each other for the prize." The girl said to James confusion causing her to laugh before she continued explaining.

"Yeah, each crew puts some money up for a pot and after each race a half of it is giving to the winner, half of the remaining to the second place depending on how many are in it and the rest is saved for the final race of whatever season they race under, at least that's for the 'official' races. Nobody knows what the course will be before the day of the race, just where to meet up for the start is sent hours before to the racers." The girl said as James looked at them and noticed someone pulling Ash and a honey blond girl along behind her across the street. He forced his head not to move and tracked their path before putting all his attention on the people he had talked with.

"Thanks for the info, but I really have to go." James said as he nodded at them and dashed off, moving parallel to Ash as he was pulled along. _So the twerp is here, good we don't have to put effort into staking out the Gym in Lumiose. Still, best see where he's being dragged to since the Center is in the other direction._ James thought as he moved, dodging the people moving against him, ignoring their cries as he shoved past them.

"No problem, hope you all enjoy your vacation!" The teen called out as the small group of friends walked off.

Grace looked about the room as she directed the final preparations for the opening ceremony. The general Racing League had finished a month back and she had been given the 'honor' of opening the Jr. League. _I could be back home training for the next season but no, I had to draw the short straw to open the Jr. League. Still it was getting a bit lonely and he was coming by to talk to me more and with Serena gone on her trip she couldn't be there to be a barrier for me, I mean I love that she more active, she never really got over leaving Pallet Town the way we had to. Maybe a good vacation together is what the two of us need; a nice cruise before we fly home could be just what the Professor ordered. Maybe we could take one to Kanto and stop by Pallet, it would be nice to see that place again._ Grace thought as she looked about the room, nodding as she saw the work was almost finished. She looked around and noticed that the final decorations were almost all finished and the podium she would give her speech was already done, everything was well ahead of schedule.

"Good, tomorrow I open the race and then I can start planning how handle my time until the next season; still maybe I should look for something to do." Grace mused as she walked around the room killing time.

"Hey teacher, look who's here!" Grace turned at the call, seeing Lyn pulling Serena and a boy in a blue jacket and red hat with his face down, with two blonds, one younger and the other older and a dark haired girl with black lipstick on following them, a Pikachu on the boy in blue's shoulder. She looked at the blue boy for a few seconds before he looked up and she caught sight of his black eyes and she felt her jaw drop open in shock.

"Ash, Ash Ketchum is that you?" Grace asked as she walked towards them a grin on her face. _Oh my, little Ashy did grow up and well at that_

Ash looked up and his face went blank for a second before he smiled back at her. He had enough control to keep his face happy but he was surprised at the twitch of anger he had felt when he saw her face.

"Hi Aunt Grace, how's your career been, Serena said you've become the champion." Ash said as he held out his hand, only for Grace to give him a hug before she stepped back, a smile on her face.

"Damn good to see you again kido! How's your mother been, how's Pallet been doing, Gary still have a chip on his shoulder the size of Mt. Moon?" Grace asked as the others gathered around them. Ash chuckled and grinned at her.

"Would you believe that he's given up becoming a Pokémon Master and is studying to get a doctorate in science?" Ash said as Grace looked at him before she started to laugh, remembering hearing about how Gary treated science back when Serena went to school in Pallet at that one fair the school had before the Siege. As she laughed Serena looked at her and tried to speak up but went silent when Grace looked up at the others.

"So I know Ash but who are you all?" She asked as Lilith fought back a curtsy, the way her teacher had taught her to introduce herself to the people who gave off the same feeling Grace was and smiled at her as Clemont spoke up first.

"Hello, I'm Clemont and this is my sister Bonnie, and this is our friend Lilly." Clemont said as he indicated his sister and Lilith in turn. Serena looked at her friends and took a deep breath and raised her hands before lowering it.

"Mom, is it okay if we talk privately after the ceremony, I think we need it." Serena said quietly as Grace looked up and smiled at her daughter nodding.

James put down his camera and moved away, his mind full of questions as he slipped away from the building. _So they came here to talk to that girl's mother, but why, and the twerp pack grew by two? Well Meowth can look into who the woman is and we can plan around what he finds. Given what I saw she has to be important, still maybe we're lucky and she won't be someone who will cause problems for us._ James thought as he walked away, hoping that he would get back to his comrades swiftly and without anyone who knew who he was seeing him.

Lilith dropped back and put her hand on Serena's shoulder, signaling her that she wanted to talk to her and Serena nodded at her.

"You guys go on ahead, I'll show Lilly where the bathroom is in this place and we'll meet you at the restaurant." Serena called out as she pulled Lilith to the side and waved to their friends as them moved off. After walking a few minutes they reached the bathrooms and slipped inside, Lilith looking around and made sure they were alone.

"Okay girl, spill it, you want to talk to your mother about a lot more then what happened back there would show." Lilith said as she looked at Serena who looked conflicted before grabbing her right arm with her left. She looked at the mirror before she started to talk.

"Mom, she's been having me train to join the Jr. League, I've always said no but I never had another goal so I think she thought I had a problem following her footsteps but it's not. Its time I find what I want to be, and it's time for my Journey. I've decided it's time, and I want to experience it with all of you." Lilith let a smile show on her face and hugged Serena from the back, startling her and she looked at Lilith in the mirror. Lilith meanwhile was thinking about how this would affect her mission. _If she's around it might cause some of Ash's seal to break, and a Dhampir unleashed might be more then I can handle on my own, but damn it if it won't be nice to have a girl my age to talk to._ Lilith thought as she looked at Serena's reflection.

"I'm guessing you're going to talk to Clemont and Ash about this, before or after you talk to your mom?" Lilith asked as Serena sighed.

"I think I'll talk to her about it tomorrow after she opens the Race, sorry but I think I'll miss your contest." Serena said, causing Lilith to laugh a little.

"Just make it to the next one and I'll call it even girl, so come on, and let's not leave the boys waiting with Lyn long. And I have to share that tea with your mom." Lilith said with a wink to Serena, who blushed at the insinuation, hitting Lilith on the head causing her to laugh as they left the room.

Gazer led the way through the forest, leading a group of consisting nine other Goblin and Healer back towards their cave. The creature Protector had slain had been so massive it wouldn't be right to move it so instead Sire had them gather food and eat there. After they cleaned the meet off the bones Sire had taken most of them and ordered the group to take them back to the cave, it had instituted that the bones would be useful and had ordered all the bones to be brought back to their den and then a rustling had heralded a group of grey creatures had charge at them. Protector, Sire and a few others had met them while Gazer had grabbed Healer and escaped together while the others had scattered in threes and twos. Gazer and _spotted_ others and had led gathered together the other nine and they moved through the woods hoping to get back to the mountain saving all the lives Gazer could.

A commotion ahead of them some of the others to tense but stopped when Gazer raised its hand. Out of the bushes ahead of them three more Goblins came out, one of them holding its right arm as blood from a gash in it. Gazer walked ahead and started to make soft sounds as it went to them and gestured at the wound, the wounded Goblin turning so Gazer could see it better. Looking at the wound Gazer let its self-relax when it saw the wound wasn't that bad. Smiling at the injured Goblin Gazer looked at the others and gestured for them to join the others. As the others welcomed their fellows they soon moved on, Gazer leading them as some of them looked behind them, hoping to spot anything hunting them before they pounced on the party. Gazer moved forward, its eyes spotting the life around them and leading them around the _sights_ that looked like they might challenge the party.

A rustling in the bushes ahead of them caused them to stop and Gazer to move forward and relaxed when he _saw_ that it was only others of their kind. As the other Goblins moved into sight Gazer frowned when it identified two members of Deadeyes pack. They looked wounded but relieved when they saw the others and muttered softly as Gazer stared at them. A touch from Healer caused Gazer to look at it and sigh before nodding at the two who perked up and gestured for them to follow as they moved through the woods. Gazer looked about, its eyes and senses on overdrive as it followed the two Goblins, something about it was _wrong_ but what it couldn't tell. As they lead the other nine Goblins into a crater with walls at least twenty feet high Gazer noticed a small hole in the ground that lead into the earth that had a few marks about it and was hidden by a tree in front of it that the other two missed as they ran towards an opening in the wall at the far end. A crash behind them caused Gazer to spin about and saw a boulder had dropped and blocked the path they had taken into the crater and a crash ahead of them caused Gazer's head to snap upwards and it went cold when it saw Deadeye, Sire and members of Deadeye's pack move boulders into place to drop on them. Gazer reacted and pulled Healer behind it as it ran towards the tree, five of the others following as it Sire bellowed and the rocks were pushed over the edge as the others stared in horror.

Sire looked down at the boulders and smirked at the bodies of his _sacrifices_ under them. All it had to do now was get that idiot fool Protector enraged and send it at that flamed one and it would finally have enough power to break through the barriers and release its Maker! It, who the others held back because they thought that it was so _week_ that it wouldn't amount to anything, but it would have the last laugh on them all. It and its spawn would save its Maker and it would be elevated. The City would fall and then the rest of the two leggers and their _pets_! Sire chuckled as it walked off as Deadeye looked down and gave a small grin as it saw the tree had been destroyed and it saw limbs under the rocks, so they were dead. Deadeye moved after its Sire as it thought of the pain that fool Protector would have when they told it about what had happened to the others.

As they moved towards with Deadeye's pack, they never noticed a blue humanoid had been watching the entire performance from the top of a tree and frowned as it watched them move. It had been surprised when the party of Goblins had been led into the hollow before the boulders had blocked the entrance and then fallen onto the trapped Chimeras. This was an unprecedented event and something that its leaders would want to know about, how this would affect the power structure in the area was unknown, but if the old Ogre was willing to kill its own then something was up and they had to know about it. With these thoughts in its head the Lucario jumped from branch to branch as it moved through the forest towards the Castle of its masters.

Gazer looked up at the large boulder and looked about, besides healer only three others had made it into the hole it had seen. Gazer had seen the hole and ran for it, those that reacted like it following. It turned and saw Healer was shaking and let its eyes soften as it looked about at the others, the other three coming down off their adrenaline and trying to deal with what had happened to them and Gazer could understand what they were going through, what had happened was something that it hadn't thought possible ever, Sire had tried to kill them but why and why now. It went still when it remembered what Protector had done when one of their own had been killed by that Grass creature and it understood the why they had killed their own but the _why_ behind their actions wasn't clear. Looking about Gazer saw signs that something used this passage way and the fact that a large tunnel went under the earth was concerning, they had to move and get back to Protector and tell it what had happened. That old one had done this for a reason, and if they thought to use its friend then they would break that plan.

Rex sat before a table in a room, chained to the a bar on the table's middle with a scowl on his face, across from him sat Office Jenny with Viola leaning against a wall on the same side as Jenny looked at him and opened a folder. Rex merely smirked across at Jenny and waited for her to say anything, leering at her as he sat there. _So this fool of a whore thinks she has me, I can't believe the how stupid she really is. Once I'm transferred and out a few days to strategize and then I think I'll step up my conquest._ Rex thought as Jenny started to speak.

"Rex Tristo, age twenty 22, eldest of three children. Parents were locals, active in the community and donated to charities. _Was_ a Gym Trainer for a length of two years until three years ago when Voila was chosen as the next Gym Leader; Left Gym after meltdown after the announcement of Voila succession; was next seen about town three months later, parents were announced missing two weeks after return, parents bodies found in Chimera den. Buzz Lords made first attack three months later." Jenny read out loud as Rex scoffed as he leaned back as far as he could.

"What, am I supposed to be impressed with the information you've been able to gather about me?" Rex asked as he looked at Voila who met his look with a glare. _Doesn't he know it's over for him? Does he think he has a chance to find a way around this, to turn it around for his benefit?_ Voila thought as she decided to speak up.

"It's to show that we know enough to put you away for a long time, maybe even take away your right to be a trainer. With what you did to that Volcarona, I wouldn't trust you to be responsible enough to handle a Pokéball." Voila said as she looked at him. Rex just laughed as he looked at them.

"To think _things_ like you think you have me caught, I can't stop laughing. Just you wait, I'll be free soon and then when I rule over this land as my family did in the past, oh when I have you two in my clutches I'll take my time _breaking_ you both." Rex said as he leered at the two women as he sat back. Jenny's mouth dropped open and looked at him while Voila just stared in total shock at the words Rex had spoken before Jenny snapped out of her shock and shook her head.

"'Rule this land as my family did'. So that is the great destiny your parents stood in the way of." Jenny said as Rex looked at her, his face neutral but his eyes held a rage in them as he looked at her.

"My parents were killed by a Chimera; their bodies were found its den after all." Rex said frostily as Jenny shook her head and looked at him with a hard look.

"That is what is _accepted_ as what happened, but when we raided your dwelling we found a most unique book and a few other items." Jenny said as Rex's eyes narrowed as he looked at her before turning his head to look at Viola who smirked at him.

"I practically loved the dart board idea, I'm thinking of getting one myself in your group's colors; think it'll really help with my stress level." Viola said with a smirk as she caught his eyes. He said nothing and just looked at her and turned to Jenny.

"Anything you have can be argued that I didn't leave them there. All you have are a few items that can be argued are mine but really you have nothing." Rex said as Jenny just looked at him while Viola scoffed.

"What, thinking because your so called 'noble blood' that your get off. Really I don't know why so many people defer to people because of something they couldn't control. I mean really if it was talent I

"Shut your mouth you Giratina damned bitch!" Rex snarled and lunged at her but the chains caused him to barely move a foot before the chains stopped him. Viola and Jenny jerked back and looked at Rex as he continued his outburst.

"You know nothing you foreign whore! People like you who don't carry the blood of our great nation like that police bitch over there only deserve to be our slaves and be owned by your betters! That time is coming, oh it is coming and when it comes I'll make sure that your there as we watch that whore of a reporter sister of yours becomes just what she is meant to be! For I am of noble blood and am the holder of a great Destiny!" Rex snarled as spit flew from his mouth as Jenny and Viola looked at him.

"What about those who do carry that blood but they still get in the way of that Destiny, what happens then?" Jenny asked quietly as Rex sat back down and started to laugh madly.

"Then I don't do anything at all. I just sit back and let Destiny play out, those people either fall in line or something happens to them." Rex said with a dark chuckle.

"Then why did you try to recruit Ash, since he's a foreigner like me?" Voila asked only for Rex to grin with a dark edge to it before he replied.

"I tried to bring him into my employment for his skills and I must admit I went about it the wrong why. But about the blood, is he? It seems I know a few things about Mr. Ketchum's past then you don't. I believe that will be all for now Jenny, I'm revoking my right for consul and this meeting is over. I wish you luck in the remainder of the time I'll be under your care." Rex said as he leaned back as far as he could and looked at the two women.

Jenny snarled as she slammed the door closed as she leaned against it as she massaged her eyes. _I knew he was mad, but that mad? With that I can see his lawyer making and insanity defense work, but it'll only change where he'll end up, not in a prison but a mental instate for the rest of his life._ Jenny thought as she tried to deal with a headache.

"Not how you hoped it would go hu Jenny? Still I have to say the insanity defense is strong with him Jenny, think a lawyer might be able to argue to have him put into an institution instead of a prison." She looked up at Voila words with a deadly looking glare on her face.

"Go get stung by a Beedrill Voila. I knew from reading his 'journal' that he was a piece of work but really, that was just too much." Jenny said with a shudder as she held herself.

"Yeah, he did not act like that around the old man, that's for sure. Even when he lost that duel against me and I was acknowledged as the successor, he actually complimented me before he disappeared for those months, never gave a single sign that he felt that way about people who don't have a connection to Kalos by blood. Think he hid it because of something he knew about the old man?" Voila asked as looked at the door. Jenny sighed as she remembered the previous leader of the city's Gym.

"Maybe, but he could have had anything happen to him that turned him into this. It doesn't matter really, he's gone too far for me to even think about tell the DA to treat him with the kid gloves." Jenny said as she turned and walked away from the room without a backwards glance.

"How much longer can you keep him here until you have to transfer him?" Voila asked as Jenny frowned. _Why the hell does the Commissioner keep insisting on transferring gang members to holdings out of town I can't understand, but I have to trust in the chain of command, even when it makes no sense at my level!_ Jenny thought as she looked ahead as she walked. She looked at Voila and saw she was still confused and wondered what was wrong.

"Something he said bothering you V?" Jenny asked her friend as they moved through the bull pen towards her office.

"It's that comment he made about Ash, what could he have meant and why was he after him? The kid's is good I will admit, most challengers never use strategy like how he beat me and some of them take at least three tries to beat me but how did Rex…. I mean he's from Kanto, how could Rex know anything about him?" Voila said as they entered Jenny's office.

"Some trainers have fan pages; I think I'll check to see just what his official record is, might be interesting. Anyhow mind staying until after I have a talk with the sister, I might need some help with her." Jenny said only to be meet with a grin from Viola.

"You just want someone in the room who can back you up if she's as mad as old Rex, don't you?" Viola said as she looked at Jenny who sighed. A buzz from her intercom caused them to look at it as Jenny touched a button on it.

"She's here boss, should I send her in?" A voice asked as Viola looked at the door as Jenny sighed and straightened her clothing.

"Send her in, I'm ready for her." Jenny said as she sighed and looked at the door and Rebecca Tristo walked in wearing blue sundress and blue heals could be seen on her feet. She smiled at them shakily and sat down at a chair Jenny indicated.

"Hello Officer Jenny, Gym Leader Viola. It's been to long since the three of us have been together." Rebecca said as she looked at them, Viola giving her a wave.

"Hey Rebecca, nice to see you again but I'm sorry to have to talk to you because of what Rex did." Viola said as Rebecca looked at them.

"Yes, the charges against my brother, I don't mean to say you're wrong but were there no other reason for him to have been there?" Rebecca asked, Jenny only shook her head and looked at her.

"No, the evidence while is varied it is airtight, and it shows that there is a chance that he might have had something to do with what happened to your parents." Jenny said resolutely. Rebecca looked at her before she put her head down and adopted a look of sorrow.

"They always pushed him; harder than I thought was right or proper. A fight between father and Rex, I can see how mother might have been drawn into it on father's side. If he brought their bodies to hide what happened to cover it up then I could see how he created that gang, I thought he wanted to stay in the town to handle the family business on his own. He had been giving me more and more responsibilities lately, but I never thought he was…." She turned her head away and Jenny gained a softer look on her face.

"He was a terrible person but he was smart and he could hide what he was doing from a lot of people. A lot of people just thought he was living off his family's money while he was brooding. But it was even worse; he tortured a Volcarona to the point of madness and released it to destroy and kill. The journal we found said he had planned to have it kill me and blame its condition on me, and make up a story how he had created the Lords to defend them from what I was doing, he even created a few sub teams for window dressing to make the tale all the more believable." Viola said as Rebecca turned to her in total shock before she started to look resigned.

"I had no idea what so ever that he had become that mad, I knew he felt cheated that you became the Gym Leader but that, I'm sorry I never noticed." Rebecca said causing Jenny to sigh before she forced herself to glare at Rebecca.

"That's what the investigation found so far, the journal said he was looking around for someone to set up a match with you. Know anything about what that meant?" Jenny asked as Rebecca paled and got a look of shame as she wrong her hands.

"My parents, their marriage was set up by their families, they learned to love each other over time. Most families don't do that anymore but enough do, there are a few rumors of….local families looking for a bride for their sons so he might have meant that." Rebecca said as Viola picked up on the wording and frowned a bit. _So there are more people who hate foringers and are happy to take their money while cursing them, maybe I should call the other Gym Leaders and talk to them about it, arrange a formal sit down to talk about the gangs and crews, might be a good thing all in all_. Viola thought before she spoke.

"So you know how Rex felt about me being a foreigner?" Viola asked as Jenny looked up at this as Rebecca looked away shamefaced. Jenny forced her face to remain expressionless as she noticed Rebecca's eyes reflecting off the office's door, they had a look in them that didn't match her face.

"I knew he had a low opinion of people not born in Kalos, but that not illegal right? I just thought it was one of his personality quirks or something that he'd grow out of. Do you need anything else from me Officer?" Rebecca asked as she looked up at Jenny. Jenny just shook her head and waved her off.

"Thank you for stopping by Miss Tristo, I'll contact you if anything comes up that I need to talk to you about anything else." Jenny said as her eyes caught Viola's as Rebecca got up and left the room, seeing that Viola had picked something up as well. Once the door was closed Viola walked towards it and opened it, looking out as Rebecca walked out of the station before turning, leaning against the door and looked right at Jenny.

"So you don't believe her then?" Viola asked flatly as Jenny shook her head and as she looked at the door, her face hard.

"That she didn't have an idea that Rex was behind the Buzz Lords, no, that he was up to something, yes. That she hadn't thought Rex had something to do with their parents' deaths, I think she knew and was trying to find evidence about it. That she felt Rex's attitude was a personality flaw he'd grow out of, no way in hell do I buy that. I think we should keep an eye on her for the future, maybe she'll slip up sooner or later and we'd have a better understanding of this whole situation and how she fits in. But I'm curious, how did you see she's hiding something?" Jenny asked as Viola smirked.

"The way she was reacting, I've never advertised this but before I when I was learning to be a photographer I did some work with models, a few fictional scenes and well, she reminded me of those actors." Viola said causing Jenny to stare at her before she put her head into her hands.

"I don't need this right now, the cleanup from that horror theater is still causing a lot of trouble, the girls we rescued are on something the doctors haven't seen before, some of the ganger members are on it as well and we found the drivers for the missing truck knocked out and without their uniforms." Jenny said as her phone buzzed. She looked at it with a look of anger. _What could have happened now, a new law that says I have to give those Buzz Brats a five star meal or have to dance for their amusement? Or maybe a Chimera has been sighted dancing a jig?_ Jenny thought as she reached for the phone and picked it up with a scowl on her face as she brought the phone to her ear, releasing a sigh as she did so.

"Jenny here, go ahead." She said as she heard the sounds of the city, someone had called from outside the station.

"Ma'am, we've found the missing truck, it's been stripped of some technology and the eggs that were in it are all gone, what's more the rest of it has been destroyed by acid and fire, I doubt we'd be able to find any DNA evidence or fingerprints of who took it." A nervous sounding voice answered her, causing Jenny to close her eyes and try to keep a lid on her emotions.

"Is there any way you'd be able to get it back to the station's garage, any way at all?" Jenny asked with her eyes closed.

"No mam, whoever did this also destroyed the axel, tires and stole the engine as well. The truck is a write off; I doubt we'd even get anything for the metal as scrape." The reply caused Jenny to sigh and look upwards with a scowl as she tried to think of what should be done. _So it's a complete write off, and we have to move it. Do we have to move it?_ Jenny thought before she spoke into the phone.

"Is the truck anywhere that it might prove a problem for people in the future?" Jenny asked with a hope that that might go her way.

"No ma'am, it's in the abandoned section of the eastern part of town, only thing around it is abandoned buildings and a few wrecked cars." The answer caused Jenny to sigh at least that was something going their way about this whole thing then.

"Leave the truck where it is, bring back the GPS if it's still there but leave the wreck where it is. Get back to the station or finish your patrol, I'll start the paperwork for a new truck." Jenny said before she put the phone down.

"Found the truck then?" Jenny looked up at Viola's question and gave her a deadpanned look that caused her to wince.

Rebecca looked back at the station as she walked away, as soon as her face was facing away from the station she let a smirk show on her face. _That's done, and with luck they'll never know I had anything to do with the Buzz Lords, and with Rex's fall I knew all those acting classes at my school were worth it. My poor brother, he never knew how easy it was to find the proof that he_ _ **did**_ _kill our parents to takeover, but of course that was why I found how to take everything away from him in return. I think I'll send a message out that he's out of the protection of the Tristo's Family and if they want to kill him they can. With any luck someone will handle him when he's transferred so I won't have to deal with him myself._ Rebecca thought to herself as she walked back towards the outskirts of the town, hoping to get home and she hoped that her friend had woken up.

Two Machokes welding axes moved through the underbrush of the forest as they ran, looking over their shoulders as they tried to get back to their masters. The one behind the other looked behind them as they moved; the blood they had found was not going to be well received by their masters.

"Machoke choke!" The one behind said as the two of them moved as the one in front frowned as they moved through the woods. After the ambassador and the party had been sent out the Champion had sent out a force to strike against the Ogre, a large group and a few smaller ones to bring in the groups out training. The two of them had been sent out to find one of the Machamps that had gone out and gotten lost but all they had found was its weapon in a clearing with blood and battle damage around it.

"Choke Mach choke." The front Machoke said as it led its comrade forward, they were the just one of many parties but it knew that those it hunted for were dead. The two of them moved through the undergrowth silently as they could, their eyes darting all around for any sigh of any hidden enemies. As they passed through the woods they noticed that the animals and other Pokemon were quite, that was worrisome, that usually meant they sensed the approach of a bigger predator, something that they couldn't see.

"Mach choke." The lead Machoke said softly as he lead its fellow onward towards their base, neither of them looking up and seeing the shadowy figure following them as it glided from branch to branch. The Machoke reached the river and moved alongside it against its current, keeping an eye out all around them for the source of the threat, but neither of them noticed the shadow following them. The trailing Machoke looked around, straining its senses to their limit hoping it would sense something anything that would tell it where the threat was. Nothing, were they the threat the creatures felt, no, it had been in groups of his Queen's followers and never had they been around so much silence, there had to be a _reason_ for this…. It almost stopped when it heard the creak of a branch above it as _something_ landed on it. It moved silently as it gripped its axe as it heard another branch creaked as something moved along the top of the trees as it followed them. It looked ahead, whatever it was had followed them to the river that lead to the tributary that lead back to their Queen's base, if they brought whatever it was there, then who knows what that could cause, it had to do something, change the situation but it had to wait unil it was just right…. NOW!

"MACHOKE!" It screamed as it swung around and threw it's axe, the axe spinning as it sliced through the tree it had heard the shadow land on, cutting through the tree and six more it flew in a semicircular back to Machoke who caught it as the other Machoke looked at the fallen trees, having heard its companion's cry and had turned, seeing a shape fall along with the trees. A fallen tree shattered as a slivery crescent sliced through and between the two Pokemon before part of the tree was thrown over their heads, both keeping their eyes on where the tree had been thrown from, hoping to see just what had tried to follow them. A screech from the darkness heralded two light-blue crescents that both of the Machamps slammed their glowing axes, breaking the crescents before the shadow _flew_ above them and they were finally able to see it.

The Chimera they saw was as tall as they were with grey feathers on its biped body and four limbs, two legs ending in three talons with a heel spike and arms/wings with three claws at the end of the limb and its head had a white beak with two solid white eyes that had a hunger in them as it looked at them{[Harpy]}. As the Harpy hovered over the river as it beat its wings it looked down at them, its plan to track them to their base was ruined, now it had to deal with these two and take some of them back to its _mother_ as an offering to appease the old bird. As it hovered watching it the Machokes moved apart, each of them trying to figure out if they could handle the Chimera without it killing them, but it would be difficult at best, it was hovering above the river, which was deep enough to be over their heads if they tried to go into the water, and it could fly. If they tried to bring it down with a jump at it and missed then the Chimera would kill them as they splashed or sank in the water. And if they tried to use their axes like before with the trees it could just dodge it and kill them at its leisure. The Harpy moved along the river and flew upward, flying until it hovered with its back to the sun as the Machokes tried to look at it, straining their eyes as they did so.

Two light-blue crescents flew out of the sun suddenly, the two Machokes moving quickly trying to dodge, but the one on the right got hit on its left arm towards the top of the arm, slicing a deep cut through the shoulder muscle. It winced and forced its self to keep holding the axe, moving it to its other hand tried to keep an eye out for any other attacks from the Chimera when a cry startled it.

"MACHOKE, MACHOKE!" The other Fighting type cried out as it looked up at the shadow in front of the sun. The injured Machoke looked and saw its comrade falling back into the forest and the injured one nodded at it and dashed into the trees, hoping that their actions might force the Chimera to move in after them, making the battle to come a bit more even.

The Harpy hovered looking at the two escaping preys and moved after the stronger one, it could hunt the wounded one at its leisure if the first prey was light enough after it was killed. It flew over the trees after the creature, never noticing that something was bounding out of the trees on the opposite shore as it entered the wood.

Machoke ran through the trees, trying to keep an eye on the sky and the ground to make sure it didn't trip and it had its senses. Split up and hope that it either went after one of them or let them go, but given their luck it doubted it, but maybe it could find a place to make a stand, or after a while try and find its fellow. Still it had to keep move, it still had a chance to live through this and it had to keep fighting, it wouldn't dishonor the Queen or Champion by giving up! A creak behind it told it that it was being followed by the Harpy, at least its comrade would survive at least, letting the others know about this thing so they could try and defend the base. A clearing ahead of it with a cliff face at the far end had just come into sight; there was where it would buy its fellow time to get away.

Running towards the cliff it turned looking at the trees, waiting for any sign of the Harpy. A grey figure shot out of the trees to the right and hit the ground, dashing forward at Machoke on a circular route back towards the trees on the far left, and the Harpy's arms were ready to slash into the Pokémon. When the Harpy was close to Machoke, Machoke swung its axe at the Harpy's head, only for the Chimera to dodge and slashed at Machoke as it dashed past it, its claws dripping flesh and blood as its beak seemed to gain a joyful expression as it saw Machoke wince in pain. It saw the wounds were on the Machoke's chest and saw Machoke straining to keep the axe in its hand and move sideways, trying to put some distance between the two of them. It looked at the Machoke as it tried to stand against it, but with a lazy stance the Harpy moved towards the lone Pokémon, it was time to end the game and kill its foe. The Harpy moved towards the Machoke and sliced its claws at it, the Machoke blocking two slashes in three, Machoke's body starting to gain wounds as it tried to defend its self. The Harpy started to gain a sense of satisfaction as it looked at its weakened foe, only for it to sense something and jump straight above the Machoke and starting to hover, dodging a blue ball of energy that passed through the space in front of Machoke!

Machoke turned towards where the energy ball had shot from and saw a Lucario with standing on a branch with its eyes tracking the Harpy. The Harpy looked towards the Lucario and flew upwards, dodging arrows sent by other Machokes that poured out of the trees, all in all there were 10 of them, four of them had bows and quivers with arrows, and the last six had lances, each one of them tracked the Chimera as it looked at them, it flew upward away from the Pokemon, it had done enough, it had followed them part way towards where they were based, knowledge that would might help it in the future. For now it would leave the battlefield and come back for such strong and tasty power when it was needed, that blue creature looked practically tasty and it would gain such strength from eating it.

Lucario looked at the retreating Chimera until it went beyond sight before it let itself drop out of its combat stance. It turned its attention towards the Machoke with an axe as the others with it went to it, gathering around it as they looked over its injuries. Lucario barked at them and they looked towards it, only to start to move towards river as Lucario jumped from branch to branch, hunting down the other wounded Machoke in the forest to lead back to the castle.

The Champion walked through the castle, a sense of anger following in its wake. It had just come from debriefing the two wounded Machokes and the Lucario and to say the Champion was mad was like saying water was wet. The knowledge the three of them had given it was not good, the affects the knowledge would have on their plans, it went without saying that the plans were affected.

The Champion walked towards the doors at the end of the corridor, not evening stopping as a blue glow formed around the door and opened it for the Champion to pass through. Unlike the last time it was in the throne room, this time the Queen was alone with four small humanoid Pokémon with a white body. They had thin arms and legs that widen toward the feet, two stood farther back while one stood around four large harps with the strings glowing blue as music came from them, another stood by the Queen as three large fans glowing blue sent a breeze as the Queen reclined on a couch drinking from a goblet. At the sound of the doors opening the Queen looked up and saw the Champion walk into the room.

[ _Ahhh, my Champion! Tell me, how was our attack on the Ogre, was the beast finally slain?_ ] The Queen asked as the Champion stopped a good ten feet from her, causing her to sit up.

[ _No my lady, sadly only a few of the Ogre's pets were slain and many of our Warriors were hurt in the process, some were even killed. But before all of the survivors escaped the area, one of our Spy's saw the Ogre kill some of its own. And to bring up another matter, two of our searchers were attacked by a Flying Chimera of an unknown origin. According to the two who were attacked it had been following them trying to find where our Castle is, this is unprecedented for a single Chimera, so the theory that there are more than one of this Chimera strain is something that must be considered._ ] The Champion said as the Queen sat up and started to gain a look of rage on her face. The Champion looked at her face and sighed as he realized just how she was going to react.

 _[My lady I would calm yourself, we can still handle this quite easily.]_ The Champion projected before he moved his head to let a goblet fly past his head to smash against the wall behind him as the Queen turned her attention back to him, her face still enraged.

 _[HOW WILL WE HANDLE THIS!? We lost another of our leaders and we only gained a small part of the packs we sent our ambassador to and only of one the lines. The force we sent against the Ogre only killed some of them and then our spy said that the Ogre killed some more of them, what is it planning?! And a new Chimera was following our soldiers!]_ The Queen demanded as she looked about, her hand maidens cowed in fear as they grouped as her Champion stood there and looked at her stoically.

[ _We will handle this by continuing the_ _ **plan**_ _my Queen. We will gather to us the strength of the packs, this new Chimera is perfect for us, we can use it as another reason to bind the others to us. And as for that old Chimera and what it's planning, so what my lady, how will it affect us? So it's planning something, we've always had dealing with it as part of our long term plans, we just have to move it up. The fruit is gone, we are denied that and the base. While losing that place as a fall back location is damaging, we can use it to test our forces after we move against the Forest.]_ The champion sent to his Queen, causing her eyes to lose their glow and look at him before she turned and gestured, calling a new goblet and the pitcher to her, fulling the goblet before she looked at the Champion with a cunning tint to her eyes.

[ _Yes. That could work, it would help our Heralds gather to Us the power needed to take this area back from the humans, but we must prepare Ourselves for attacks!]_ She declared causing the Champion to nod at her.

[ _Of course we will. I'll have the patrols doubled and have the new comers look for places by the entrance that they can hide and be ready to help the guards. And if a new flying chimera is moving into the area perhaps we should look at the bringing in the flock sooner than later, doesn't the leader have a vendetta against a group in the forest?]_ The Champion mused as the Queen started to chuckle.

[ _Yes, yes it does. I don't know the details but if it knows that they might be more likely to join us, and they will help us out so much._ ] The Queen said as the Champion walked and poured his own drink. He looked at her as her handmaidens moved about and one resumed fanning her with telekinetically held fans as it resumed its training, while another started to pluck the strings of the harps once more. He looked about the room as he let one of his skills active and noticed a few who looked like they might evolve soon, good then they might be trained into roles that would suite the plans of him and his Queen, gathering more power to rule this part of the land. _Perhaps it might be best if I go to get the loyalty of the flock myself, I would be able to talk with the leader privately while I try to get make the entire group around to Ourside._ The Champion thought as he looked down at the goblet before he looked up at the Queen who stood and radiated a feeling of carnage as she stood there. The Champion coffed and went to one knee the goblet on the ground beside him.

[ _My Queen I beg your leave to speak my thoughts._ ] The Champion said causing her to look up at her first warrior. _If anyone could find a way around the problems this is it would be my most loyal warrior._ She thought as she looked down at the kneeling form before _speaking._

[ _Precede my Champion; you have my leave to speak your thoughts at all times._ ] The Queen said as she dropped the goblet, one of her handmaidens catching it with her telekinesis after it fell a few centimeters, flying to land on a side table against the wall.

 _[If so then please listen to my thought O' Queen, so I might speak what I believe we should do, while we send out reinforced teams to spread our message to the other group, I should go myself with a strong backup to show our might to the Flock. With your permission I shall go now and gather those who would give best impression to them._ ] The Champion finished with a bow towards her. The Queen brought a hand against her face and for a minute only seemed to look upwards as she thought about what was _said_. _He could, no he would bring them under our banner, but then would his coming send the wrong message to that one? No to get the strength I need to chance it is the best way forward._ She thought as shewent over the pros and cons of the proposal and finally spoke her decision.

[ _You are to take a balanced loadout that lets you defend yourselves from the air and from the ground. Choose your escort on those points and remember; speed is important as well. And send for our Master Instructor, we would talk to him about the state of our forces._ ] She declared as the Champion bowed low to her before he left to carry out her will.

"And our top story tonight, yesterday evening the Police Force of Santalune City raided the headquarters of the infamous Buzz Lords. Their leader and founder, Rex Tristo was captured and is currently being held on a verity of charges including kidnapping, slavery and Pokémon abuse. The Santalune City Police have issued a statement that with the fall of their base, they expect to capture the rest of the Buzz Lords in the coming days. Up next, has the Showcase, an old traditional competition only open to girls become a block on the creativity of our youth, more on this when we're back." A newscaster said as a TV was turned off. The person who dropped the remote had short white hair with hard blue eyes. He glared at the dead screen as he got up and started to pace back and forth as he muttered.

"Of course Rex would be caught by the police, and it had to be now, when they've started to do regular Pokémon Contests! Damn them, what is this?! Everyday more and more of our heritage is being destroyed by others _idiots_ who don't know the truth of our great nation! Why did they have to sign those damned treaties! And being held for Pokémon Abuse of all things!? Insane to think anything done to those _weapons_ would count as abuse!" He said with a snarl on his face as he walked about a room with a large TV on a wall and a desk with a computer. The man stopped walking and took a deep breath and walked to a chair in front of the TV and sat down,

"Okay let's be frank about this; I don't know of anyone who bought any _products_ from Rex, any business I personally did with him is above board and with his family's civilian side. The products he bought from _them_ were in cash so the only way they could figure out about them is because of something on his end. And I know he'll be transferred soon so I just need to make sure he never tells anyone anything, he'll last through the first interrogation so I just need to…make sure he never makes it to the prison." He said as he smiled and nodded. A beep from his Pokégear caused him to look at it, smiling he walked to his computer, a grin on his face as he walked to his computer. As he opened the file and started to read it his mouth dropped open and he stopped and reread a section before he finished the file and stared into space before he exploded with rage.

"THAT DEGENERATE IMBECILE! A Diary! HE HAD A DIARY! And he was caught because he tried to hard recruit a trainer who beat Voila in a rematch?! And he kidnapped Grace's daughter to try and use her as leverage or a reward?! I can't believe this, I just can't even begin to comprehend just what was going through his head! I have to silence him all right, permanently it seems! Where are you going, ahh, just perfect, the route goes by that swamp, I can call _them_ to handle it." The man said as he looked at the planned route to the holding facility Rex would take soon. He scanned a part of the document and smiled when he saw just who would be sent with him and smiled as he noted the names before he moved to a few records and found them.

"This is perfect, just perfect! I can take care of him and at the same time I can use those buffoons, if they can't make his end painful, then nobody could. I will have to pay a bit extra for that but my angel deserves the best." He thought as he sat down and pushed a button, activating a program he had gotten years ago. As he sat down he smiled as he thought about just what he would set in motion with a small call.

"I.L.S., I want a call placed to the number under Muscle 22, and one more thing, do order a bouquet of flowers to be sent to Grace, her favorites with a few chrysanthemum." He said as he leaned back. _With them handling this I can rest easy, still I wonder how_ _ **family**_ _will react once they find out what happened to_ _ **him**_ _. If that one becomes the head I wonder if they will ever be a threat again, but if she takes power then I will have to watch them closely to see just what she does with what forces Rex made before._ He thought as he stared into space.

"Yes sir, dialing now. Shall I have your dinner brought up to you, and this week's profits statements are here, do you want them now?" A robotic sounding voice said from a speaker set against the wall as a dialing sound came from his phone.

"No, I think I'll make something light later, and do remember to wake me up early tomorrow, it's going to be a busy day." The man said as he waited for his call to go through, finally he heard someone pick up the phone.

"Who's calling?" A grave sounding voice said as he leaned forward and smiled as he spoke.

"This is Arm Spector; I have a job for you." He said as he leaned forward. _All I need is for these people to handle the problem; if they get captured I know they will only be able to give my code but that wouldn't be enough for anyone to find me._ The man thought as he gathered his thoughts as he waited for a replay from the person on the other end of the phone.

"Recovery, denial or mayhem, what do you want?" The voice asked.

"Denial of an insect that let it's self be captured by a certain collector. The others being sent to storage are of no matter to me but do deal with the King. How it's done I really don't care." The man said as he looked at the phone.

"Only the denial or do you need any parts recovered as proof?" The voice asked as the man gave a shudder as he remembered the rumors about some of the jobs these people had been said to have done.

"I only need to make sure this other collector doesn't add it to their collection, as long as you give me proof of death I will be content." The man said as he looked down at the phone with a look of disgust in his eyes.

"When will the trade take place?" The voice asked.

"It will happen tomorrow, early from what I heard, I do hope to hear good news." The man said before he heard a click, signaling that

"Swamp dwelling scum, I can't wait until they outlive their usefulness." The man said as a chime caused him to look up.

"Pardon my interruption sir, but a message has come in that I believe you will like, the headship of the Tristo family has passed to the daughter as of yesterday, she has sent a statement to all parties that they have washed their hands of Rex Tristo for the crime of kinslaying, whatever anyone wants to do with him is not their business." The man looked surprised at what he heard before he started to laugh.

"Excellent, it seems all the bases have been covered after all! Send a few alstroemeria, amaryllis and a peony to her with this message sent with them' Rebecca, heard about what Rex did, my most heartfelt sympathies about it. May they rest in peace and I hope this is the beginning of a better relationship between our families, Palvo Ta Jarlson.'" The named Palvo said as he leaned back.

"Yes sir, do you want a message sent with the flowers to be sent to Ms. Grace?" I.L.S. asked as Palvo got up.

"No, no message needed for her. Do let me know if any news comes in that I should know about, I will be in the kitchen." Palvo said as he walked out of the room. A smirk on his face as he thought about how the political map would change now that Rex was off the board, he had a chance to become more powerful.

"It will happen tomorrow, early from what I heard, I do hope to hear good news." A hand put a phone down and walked away from the door to look out onto a complex in a swamp as two Bisharp spared as male punks stood around them and called out as they watched the fight. _Of course those idiots will be out doing that, so I know where they are now. Still with sightings of those things recently I guess I should be happy they're all here but really don't they have something better to be doing._ The man thought as it looked past the figures and Pokémon to look about the rest of the facility. Beside the house he was in there were two long cabins forming a path to the house he was in with a pier going out into a swamp at the far end of the path. He noticed someone riding a Pokémon was heading towards them, the pink of the Pokémon's body told him who it was.

"Well she's back, might as well tell her about the job the same time as the others." He muttered as he walked towards the doors.

"Well, well. Hey, guys the actress is back!" The girl riding the pink serpentine Pokémon heard one of the punks call out as she got onto the dock and dusted off her blue skirt/shirt. Beside her in the water her Gorebyss looked at the direction the call had come from and growled low in its throat.

"Gorebyss, chill." The girl said before she recalled it into its Pokéball and turned to look at the speaker, a scowl on her face as she turned, her brown pigtails flapping as she did so.

"And what have you done lately Saw, nod off to sleep while waiting for a bite?" She asked as she started to unbraid her hair as it started to turn purple as she removed her glasses once she was done as her hair fell to her back past her shoulders, a glossy purple shine to it. She looked at a man with his hair in red mohawk style, wearing a black vest and pants the man was sitting on the pier, a fishing rod in his hands as he turned and looked at her.

"Not really, on overwatch to see if any of those mutant Lapris come towards us and seeing if I can get anything for sup; how was the trip home, see anything?" Saw asked as looked back into the swamp.

"Nothing out of the ordinary, caught anything yet?" The girl asked as she looked into the water.

"A few catfish, saw a Seaking kill a snakehead a few hours ago, but nothing out of the ordinary really, think we've scared those things off?" Saw asked as he looked at his fishing rod.

"Were they alive in the first place? See ya latter, gotta switch out of school girl mode." The girl said as she walked off, Saw waving his free hand as she did.

"Later Jamelia!" Saw called out as he looked at his rod, waiting for any movement of the string. As she walked towards the building she saw the group around the sparing Pokémon and moved towards a bench to stand on to see the fight when the doors in the main building slammed open and a man in a black overcoat, black pants and shirt with grey hair walked out.

"Get over here all of you, we have a job!" He shouted as he started to walk away from the building. The men surged away from the fighting which stopped as soon as they heard the command. Smirking Jamelia moved towards the gathering and pushed herself to the front, getting a nod from the man before he looked at the rest of them

"What's the caper bossman, a little robbery, a little murder?" One of the grunts called out as the others started to snicker and grin. The man looked about with a smirk on his face and answered them.

"It seems that dear old Rexy got himself caught, and wouldn't you know it we're supposed to keep em from talking ever again, permanently this time." He said as everyone started to chuckle and as Jamelia felt a grin on her face as well as past interactions went through her mind.

"Hey brother do we need to show anything, give the buyer anything this time?" She called out only for him to grin back at her.

"Nope, this is my favorite type of job, we just need to cause some mayhem and leave the bodies for them to find. The transfer happens tomorrow so I'll head out with the team for the job and we'll strike when we see it. Jamelia, you're in charge while I'm gone, keep the base in one piece and escape if more of those things attack again, go to the secondary fallback and light this place up." He said as he caught Jamelia in a glare that caused her to nodded at him with a sheepish look on her face.

"Got it Zayn-bro, have a nice night." Jamelia said as the named Zayn walked by her, stopping to rub her hair.

"Will little sister, I will. Team one with me!" Zayn smirked as five grunts followed after him as he moved towards the docks. _One better thing about this is that I can finally pay Rex back for those comments he made about Jamelia_ , _and_ _that is really the catch of the day with this job._ Zayn thought with a smirk.

Ash looked over the city as the moon shined down on the city as he sat at one of the chairs the Center had outside. Meeting 'Aunt Grace' again and her students had been a bit of a mixed bag if he was honest about it. He had been hurt when they had moved away but he understood why they had left, but it had still hurt a lot. _Come to think about it, I was so angry I got into a fight with everyone for a weak, I even fought Victoria before it was found what those two had done. When did it stop hurting? Wait, it was when I talked to Mrs. Oak, I just went in feeling angry after that fight I had with Victoria, I went to talk to her and then I just went home happy? How did?_ Ash thought as he tried to remember what she had said to help him but no matter what he couldn't remember. He was so caught up in trying to remember that he never noticed the doors to the Center opening.

"Nice night, isn't it Ash?" A familiar sounding voice asked him from behind him. He turned his head and saw Serena with a blanket around her shoulders as she moved towards him, two steaming mugs in her hands. Ash accepted one and sipped it, the taste of chocolate bring a smile to his face.

"You know, this reminds me of that night during the Siege, remember Serena? How mom started to make a large batch of hot coca so we wouldn't be scared while the others stood guard?" Ash said as Serena sat down next to him.

"And how Gary burned his tongue and ran around the room trying to cool it down with it sticking out of his mouth?" Serena said as she remembered how everyone laughed.

"Yeah, man o man I still think he did that on purpose. Oh, I never told you about him, did I? He's trying to become a Professor of all things, last I heard he was in Sinnoh studying dimensions, taking a reading on a mountain there." Ash said with a chuckle as Serena looked at him.

"And how would you know what he's doing in Sinnoh at a mountain Ash, were you involved with something?" Serena asked, causing Ash to just chuckle a little as he looked sheepish.

"Let's just say I got involved in taking down a criminal origination and well, it was crazy at the end." Ash said as he leaned back. Serena only looked at him for a few seconds before sighing.

"So the Buzz Lords's base?" Serena asked as Ash smirked as he looked at her.

"Not my first time storming an enemy stronghold. Of course when I've done it in the past I was rarely alone and had backup in the area but well." Ash said as he looked upwards at the sky as memories passed before his eyes.

"You've done a lot on your journey, haven't you Ash?" Serena asked as she looked at him.

"Yeah, I guess I have, I've been to the Johto, Unova, the Orange Islands to name a few places, seen some amazing things but I've still haven't accomplished any of the goals I started with." Ash said as he started to look sad as he looked down.

"You mean your mom, you haven't found anything?" Serena asked as she felt pain in her heart for what she knew about Ash and his mother.

"Nothing, I've looked in most of the open regions and I've looked up any missing persons for the last twenty years, people wanted for questioning and I've even asked an underground info broker for anything about any kidnap rings that use Psychics, nothing at all." Ash said with a snarl as he looked murderous. _If I didn't know just how many of those 'people' to use the term so loosely are either dead or in jail, I would spend a year or two tracking them down and showing them the consequences of doing those things!_ Ash thought as Serena looked at him in worry.

"Did you ever find a Psychic to look into what happened to her, I know that some of them can create…. _things_ in people's mind that can affect them but I've heard good things about some times people need their help. I mean with what happened I heard happened in Saffron years ago but it seems to have been a…." Serena said as she shuddered, thinking about what they had heard on the news about a renegade psychic who had controlled the Saffron City Gym until for a year until a trainer defeated him about five years ago, just…when...Ash started hi journey! Serena went still as she stared at Ash, who looked at her and chuckled sheepishly.

"So you heard about how the thing I stumbled onto?" Ash said as Serena looked at him in total shock before she grabbed him.

"How the…Ash what did you do?" Serena demanded as she shook him, causing him to laugh a little. He grabbed her arms to get her to stop shaking him.

"I entered the Gym to challenge it and came face to face with the guy who had conquered the place with Sabrina as his slave, he tried to teleport me, Misty and Brock away but it didn't work on me for some reason. My team and I attacked him while Misty and Brock fought off the brainwashed trainers they had been sent to and I fought him off enough to force him to escape when I broke his concentration enough for Sabrina to snap free and start _throwing_ things at him. Last I saw him he teleported away and a day or so later I fought Sabrina and earned my next badge." Ash said with a smirk as Serena only looked at him and shook her head as she released him and stepped backwards.

"You saved Sabrina, wait, did you ask her to look into your mom's mind…." Serena trailed off at the frown Ash had and stared. _Even the leader of Kanto's Psychic Gym couldn't find anything, what in the world happened to Mrs. Ketchum before she got herself and Ash to Pallet!_ Serena thought as she looked at Ash.

"She did, she found nothing. I've been looking into what else could have affect mom but I just don't know if I'll ever find out what happened or where we come from." Ash said as he looked up at the stars. _But I won't stop looking. I don't know when or how, but I promise I won't stop hunting for the truth until I die or I find it._ Ash thought as he hardened his eyes.

Serena looked at him and sighed as she shook her head. _I think I'll talk to him about it tomorrow; this so didn't go the way I wanted it to. Still it felt nice to have a talk with Ash like this, something I can look forward to for my imminent future after I talk to him about it of course._ Serena thought as she forced a smile onto her face.

"Well good night Ash, see you in the morning." Serena said as she turned away from him and walked back into the Center.

"Good night Serena, have a nice sleep." Ash said as he looked up at the stars, his thoughts wondering about whom else might be under the same stars, wondering if his mother was okay in Pallet giving the outbreak, hoping his friends and loved ones were all okay and were still in good health.

Lilith looked up from putting Bonnie's to bed when she heard Serena walked into the room she, Bonnie and Lilith were sharing and smirked at the look on Serena's face.

"So, have a nice **talk** with Ash?" Lilith asked softly with a grin on her face, causing Serena to go red and her mouth to open and close for a few seconds before Serena smirked back at Lilith.

"I did, did **you** have a talk with Clemont Lilly?" Serena asked only to receive a grin back at her.

"No I didn't. But really girl, are you okay? Making a decision to finally start your journey, that's big." Lilith said as Serena sat on her bed and leaned back.

"Yeah, I am. It's surprising really, but I've felt more alive in the last few days then I've felt in years. I guess after I moved here I just didn't see a big deal in traveling, I just did online classes and town quests here and there and just existed, not live. In the last few days I've seen a Gym Battle live, seen a Pokémon Contest and was kidnapped by a gang and fought my way out, if someone told me I would do any of this a year ago I would have thought they were liars and laugh myself silly." Serena said as she lay back on her bed and closed her eyes, missing the look of worry Lilith had in her eyes before she forced it away. _I guess I know what happens when someone tries to Aura Link to someone they can't connect to. So the seals are starting to unravel, I'll have to find a way to let Misstriss know about that…come to think of her, why is it taking so long for her to come back to me?_ Lilith thought as she realized that she had expected her Murkrow to have comeback by now.

"So what'd he say when you said you wanted to travel with us until you found what you're looking for?" Lilith asked, only for Serena to put a pillow over her face. Lilith just sighed and shook her head.

"Girl, you've got it bad." Lilith said with as she shook her head and looked at Serena with a deadpanned look on her face.

"Well is it so easy to talk to someone you've had a crush on?" Serena asked quietly as she looked at Bonnie's sleeping face. Lilith only frowned and looked at her

"No, but after I won a few contests I started to have to deal with this guy who just wouldn't take the hint I wasn't interested in him, one of the reasons teach suggested I'd try some contests out of the country for a while I jumped on it." Lilith said as she shuddered, remembering _him_ and how he'd tried to get her to marry him.

"Stalker?" Serena asked as she looked up at her with a look of understanding that surprised Lilith for a few seconds before she replied.

"Like you wouldn't believe, he's this rich brat that so self-rightous and full of himself I can't even describe how bad he is. But he at least left me alone when I was in my hometown or with teacher most of the time. From your tone you and your mom have dealt with those kinds of _people_ before?" Lilith asked as she looked at her only for Serena to scowl in reply.

"Calling them _people_ makes my skin crawl! That's partly why we moved to Pallet in the first place to tell you the truth. I didn't think too much about them until one of the tried to steal some of our garbage for a shrine of all things!" Serena finished with a shudder.

"You ever found a way around that here in Kalos?" Lilith asked, causing Serena to chuckle as she grinned at her friend.

"Yeah, the place we moved to is a gated community, so thankfully we don't have to worry about stalkers getting into the place, but I've been doing online courses for a while so besides going with mom to events I haven't seen much of Kalos really, something my journey will fix at least." Serena said as she smiled. Lilith grinned at her friend, happy that she didn't have a stalker to worry about. _Of course if she did I could take a few frustrations out on them, things I couldn't do to that one because of who his family is, why do the most painful people to deal with have to have connects to the worse people to make problems with?_ Lilith thought as she reached for a pillow slowly, not to draw attention to her arm from Serena.

"Well let's have a good sleep girl, tomorrow is a new day and it's the last day before your start your Journey, so rest up and sleep." Lilith said as she smirked humorously at Serena.

"Maybe you'll have a nice dream with Ash in it!" She said as Serena reddened and threw a pillow at her. Lilith just laughed and threw her own at Serena as she laid back and smiled as she closed her eyes, ready to rest for night.

 **Kanto Slang; Become Lost** ; Kanto slang term for city destroyed , conquered by Chimera. Ruins of such cities have in the past become the final battle ground for Chimera Siege

 **Aura Rune; Communication** ; Able to connect to the paired Receiving Rune, Receiving Rune has no limit to connections but the Communication Rune may only be connected to one Receiving Rune

 **Aura Rune; Identifier** ; A Rune that when it or any gear with it as part of it touches someone the person using it or wearing are told if the person touched is an Aura user, Auralist or Caster


	17. Chapter 17

I'M SO SORRY IT'S A MONTH LATE GANG! Sorry but real life hit me hard, I got a few plot bunnies stuck in my head for other stories and I need to find a new job. I'll try to get the next chapter out before March is over and I hope you all enjoy this chapter of my work. AND I'll post updates every Saturday on my profile so you guys can know what my progress is on all my work

Amanda sighed as she walked into her house as she stretched. After Agatha had left the restaurant a tour group had come in so they were so busy that she had had to wait some tables herself. Final an hour before her shift ended it had slowed down enough for her to return to her job as greeter but Albia had been thrown into the kitchen to watch a few dishes while Delia had taken her turn to make a few meals. When she had left Albia had only been able to throw a sheepish smile at her since she was being sent to check how much ingredients they still had. _But given how many courses we sold today, I'm betting that we're running low on a lot of stuff. I don't think that we have had a day like today in years; I mean really what happened to cause this?_ Amanda thought as she leaned against the door and sighed.

"Thank Arceus we're getting a delivery tomorrow. One more group that's like today and we'd have to close down, we wouldn't have anything to make. Joan, when is your vacation done so you can get back to work?" Amanda asked as she walked towards her kitchen. Looking about she grabbed her Arcanine's bowl and put her favorite into it and put it down before grabbing Arcanine's Pokéball.

As Arcanine appeared and looked at its trainer who grinned at it shakily. It looked around and released it was night time, it folded its ears and looked at its trainer, wondering why it hadn't been let out to share lunch with its trainer as it usually did behind Pallet House.

"Hey girl, sorry I never let you out for my lunch break but all I had was a sandwich while I helped get some soup ready for service. Anyhow, as an apology I got your….favorite…." Amanda trailed off as Arcanine started to growl and turn towards the doorway to the kitchen causing Amanda to dive behind her Pokemon as it started to release fire from its mouth. Amanda rolled to her feet and looked at where Arcanine's head was pointed and glared.

"Okay, I don't know who the hell you are but I trust my partner's noise, so drop whatever your using or get a face full of flames!" Amanda demanded, only to hear a chuckle from _nowhere_.

"I know you were said to be a good trainer who trusted your Pokemon but damn girl, you really blow all my expectations out of the water! Most people who don't try the gyms never get instants like yours!" The voice caused Amanda to jolt and stare with her mouth open.

"Your….!" Amanda said as a Haunter appeared, opening its arms to reveal Agatha Oak as she looked at Amanda with a grin on her face.

"I hope I'm not troubling you by calling so late but a mutual friend of ours said I should talk to you. And given that she said you know her secret and I can _feel that_ you know then I will be able to reveal my own, it's really be a while since I could let go around other people." Agatha said as she seemed to shimmer as she grew _younger_ and _taller!_ Her modest clothing seemed to shrink to a short skirt and tube tope that revealed a buxom figure as her hair grew and lighted to a blond that went to her bottom. Her shawl turned into a shimmering purple clock that went to the ground, Agatha grinned with purple lips as she raised purple painted nails as that pushed aside a lock of her blond hair she looked at Amanda whose mouth dropped open, bringing her hand to cover her mouth as she giggled. _Oh when I get to let loose, really drop my 'mask' and shock people it never gets old, I just hope I can tell Sammy about this one day_. Agatha thought as she looked at Amanda.

"Permit me to fully introduce myself; my name is Agatha 'Spectral Slayer' Oak, Mistress of Ghost Pokémon and Ascended Ghost Aura User." Agatha said in breathy voice that caused a shiver to go down Amanda's spine as she looked at the person before her in total shock. _Okay, this is amazing and I guess that it's one more surprise that I can deal with._ Amanda thought as she looked at the woman before her as the Haunter started to chuckle. Amanda said nothing and sat down at the table and gestured for Agatha to join her.

"So I'm guessing that this is something else Aura can do for you then?" Amanda asked as Agatha sat down and looked at her. _Oh she is smart, with a few words she figured it out! If only my boy had met her instead of that witch!_ Agatha thought as she grinned at Amanda.

"Oh yes, not everyone works for this but if they try, they are able to Ascend and gain greater powers. Of course you have to _know_ it's possible in the first place and that's easier said than done really, certain people that our little Electrical friend told you about made that knowledge hard to find, scum seems to want to keep that to themselves for some reason." Agatha said as she leaned back and smirked at the look her action had caused.

"Albia said she was being chased, and that she might have a problem with going through official channels for help but what do you know about them?" Amanda asked Agatha who scowled as she thought about what she knew about them. _Just when you think that they weren't in your lands they had to prove you wrong, and to think I made a campaign out of destroying them in what I hoped was their last stronghold. And if they have infiltrated parts of the League fighting them will be tricky._ Agatha thought before she sighed before replaying to Amanda.

"I know from a few documents I stole from them over the years that their old, as old as the first recorded Siege old. I tracked them down years ago to a training center in the Orange Islands and destroyed them; at least I thought I did. Besides Sammy who I kept out of it I had a few friends who I meet in a kind of Aura users tournament and together we charged the place and killed every human who lived there, freed all the Pokémon and got away clean. I don't know where these ones came from but I know we killed all the scum I meet once years ago." Agatha said with a scowl on her face as Amanda looked at her. _So maybe she taught her daughter-in law about Aura, but that doesn't explain Mime or how she talked about Albia when Delia took her in, unless she's worried about Delia, I can see how that might be possible._ Delia thought as she looked at Agatha and decided to risk asking what she was thinking.

"What about Ginny, did you teach her about Aura or did she learn on her own?" Amanda asked only for Agatha to look at her with a serious look in her eyes and a scowl on her face.

"What do you mean Ginny, that bitch knows how to uses Aura!?" Agatha demanded as Amanda winced as she realized that Agatha had no idea what so ever.

"Albia said Ginny felt like some of the people tracking her, the kind that you protected her from." Amadna said as Agatha stared as a dark purple aura started to form around her as Haunter gained a concerned look as its trainer started downright homicidal.

"That bitch _feels_ like some of those scum bags?! I always knew there was something wrong with that whore but I never had proof about it but this time ohhh when I get my hands around her neck I'll!" Agatha said as Amanda started to wonder if she shouldn't have told her about this.

"I'm guessing that you've had a problem with her then?" Amanda said as Agatha turned to look at her with a crazed look in her eyes.

"A problem with that parasite? I always thought she was just a gold digging whore but she might be one of them, why when I get my hands around her throat I'll….wait, why aren't you reacting to this and what I'm saying? What do you know about that bitch that makes what I'm saying seem acceptable to you?" Agatha asked as Amanda winced.

"So I'm guessing beside the mastery of Ghost Pokémon you can read people pretty well." Amanda said as Agatha looked at her with a hard glare.

"Yes, yes I can. So enough stalling, what do you know about that bitch and why are you hiding it from me." Agatha demanded as Amanda winced.

"Okay, how should I say this, maybe just spit it out? How about that Mime that lives with Delia, it seems to be that its trainer is really Ginny and spies on Delia for her? And Albia and I think she might have something to do with Delia's memory problem." Amanda said as Agatha looked at her before bringing a hand to her eyes and pinched her noise and closed her eyes.

"I should have raised more objections when my boy told me he was marrying her, I mean I knew there was something about her I didn't like but everyone convinced me it was giving my boy away that caused me to feel that, but no in the end I was right, there was something about her, why didn't he…." Agatha went still as she let a few data points connect in her head and started to scowl and growl as she started to strangle an invisible throat.

"Oh that _bitch,_ once I find a way to get my hands around her neck! The only thing she ever did that was good for this family was Gary and his sister were the only good things that woman probably ever took part in creating and…I have to make sure she's okay and not a clone of her mother!" Agatha said as she shot to her feet and started to shimmer before stopping. _No, if I run off halfcocked Ginny will know something's wrong and there's Sammy to consider, I can't leave him alone with her. If half of what I'm thinking over is true, then I need to be here and take a look around the lab to see if she left anything there._ Agatha thought as she turned back towards Amanda and regained her smaller form and glared at Amanda who paled as she looked back.

"Here's what's going to happen, I'm going to take a look around Sammy's place and I'll be back in a few days and then we'll talk about just what we all know together." Agatha declared as Amanda only smiled and when Agatha left the room collapsed next to her Aracaine who whimpered at her.

"I'm fine girl but I think I know more about why she was undefeated during her time as one of the Elite. Let's get some food and go make sure all the locks are working, okay?" Amanda said as she got back to her feet shakily.

Agatha moved down the lane, her walking stick out as she moved slowly to let anyone who saw her believe she was as old as she 'looked'. _Of course she had to be connected to those bastards, Chimera Cult my foot! Oh Sammy, what kind of whore snared our boy? If she had anything to do with his death I'll strangle her, raise her spirit and torture everything I could about them from her before it destroy her utterly!_ _No keep calm Agatha, keep calm and keep a smile on your face, later once you've got that bitch under your claws then you can show all your emotions._ Agatha thought as she moved through Pallet Town towards Oak Labs, it took all her strength to keep the anger she felt from showing on her face. As she climbed the hill leading towards the labs she looked towards the ocean and the storm clouds she could even see at the horizon.

She turned and moved faster up the hill, she could feel the wind and detect a hint of salt in it, a see breeze was coming towards her, a sign that the hurricane would hit within the next day at least. As she saw the lab ahead of her she saw that the family car was gone and the lab seemed to be in a state of emergency with Oak's assistants and Tracy were moving everywhere, looking over papers and running out into the reserve to bring in Pokémon. Locking onto Tracey she figured he'd know what was going on.

"Sketchit, what the hell is happening around here, where Sam?!" She called out, smirking when she saw Tracey stumbled before he noticed her and ran towards her, stopping in front of her and held up a hand as he caught his breath before he started to speak.

"The Hurricane is hitting the area tomorrow morning at the earliest; we're bringing in all the Pokémon in the area to weather it. Prof. Oak went to sound the disaster alarm at town hall. He told us to make sure the ranch is ready by nightfall and I think we're about seventy percent ready. It would have been a lot easier if Ginny was here." Tracey rasped out as he looked down, not noticing the flash of pleasure that went over Agatha's face.

"Oh, where is my daughter-in-law, where has she gone?" Agatha asked with a smile that if he had seen it would have caused Tracey to run for the hills.

"She left this morning after you, something about a fundraiser for a school, said she was heading for the airport to fly to Unova. I hate to ask but those clouds are bothering me so would you and your team mind handling that colony of Psychic Pokémon by that lake near the Rock Pile?" Tacey asked as Agatha sighed and smiled back at him.

"Of course Tracey, just give me a minute to rest, these old bones can't move as fast as I used to!" Agatha said as she looked towards the ranches wild area _. So the bitch ran away, fine that gives me sometime to gather everything I need to strike first against her. Run while you can, I will save my family from you and yours_. Agatha thought as she moved into the wild spaces of the Ranch, thinking about how she would exercise the cancer that infected her family.

Salma walked through the Pokemon Center holding two trays as she dodged the people setting about. Half the people who lived in the part of Viridian the Chimera had invaded had to be in the Center trying to find a safe place to sleep as the last of the stragglers were hunted down and the town was secured. _I can't wait to talk to sis about how she got involved with this, of course now that I think about it she probably was in the mountains at a post when the Chimera attacked. She always was the best at Dad's survival training so I wasn't too worried about her but why was she here, last I heard she was at C Island._ Salma thought as she navigated to where she had left the kid. Anny looked up and Salma smiled when she saw the way the girl's platinum blond hair flowing out behind her and she smiled when she saw the food.

"Were you able to find your sister?" She asked before she took the tray from Salma and started to eat with gusto that worried Salma as she watched.

"Not yet but slow down kid, no one is going to take that away from you!" Salma said only for her eyes to widen when she saw the girl flinch, a pit forming in her stomach. _Did she? She did….wait she's still wearing that raincoat fully buttoned, I really hope I'm wrong about this._ Salma thought as she looked at the young girl. Anny looked at the way Salma was looking at her and shook her head fast.

"No he doesn't take food from me, it's just. It's been a while since my uncle had food like this for me, normally I just eat rice." Anny said as Salma looked angry and forced herself to hide what she was feeling so not to scare the kid. _She said her uncle so what happened to her parents? Why is my bad feeling growing the more I talk to her?_ Salma thought as she looked at Anny as she slowed down and smiled as she ate.

"Well rice is pretty good if you cook it right, how do eat it normally?" Salma asked as Anny looked at her.

"I boil it in a pot, how else can you cook it?" Anny asked causing Salma to look at her, hoping that Anny was making a joke.

"I mean what do you cook with it, I put some nice carrots and sometime I have it with eggs." Salma said causing Anny to look at her in confusion, wondering just what the older girl was talking about. _What is she talking about? Uncle told me the only way to make rice safe to eat is to eat it plain with nothing else?_ Anny thought as she stared in confusion.

"Doesn't rice become poison if you cook it with anything in the pot? What my uncle said is true isin't it?" Anny asked as Salma looked at her in complete shock before she smiled at Anny. _I really need to find this uncle of hers and have a nice long talk with him; I think I'll ask Yuji and my sister if they want to come along with me when I do._ Salma thought as she looked around and noticed some people with smiles on their faces and turned towards Anny and smiled down at her.

"You wait here, I'm just going to check out what's happening over there and I'll be right back okay, don't go anywhere." Salma said as she looked down at Anny who nodded back at her.

"Okay Miss Salma." Anny said as she turned back to her food and started to eat it, smiling as she ate. Salma looked down at the girl as she stood up and turned away, as she did so an unhappy smile grew on her face as she tried to keep the temper she had once been famous for. Finally she reached the people smiling and put her hands on one of their shoulders and smiled when all the people turned to look at her.

"Sorry to bother you, but I saw your looks and wanted to find out was the cause, so what's up?" Salma asked the three people who huddled around a radio. One of the people pointed down and smirked at her.

"The Hurricane that's supposed to hit is going to make landfall within the next day, once the winds hit the area the Chimera are gonna go splat!" He said with a smirk as the others grinned happily.

"Proving once again that nature is a killer, and that it doesn't care who gets hurt when momma nature is on the rampage!" A woman laughed as the others around started to smile and laugh, most of tham but one person who walked away with a sad look on his face. Salma extracted herself and walked after her, never noticing two other people had noticed the movement and moved after her, staying close enough to overhear but not close enough to let her notice that they could over hear her. As she reached him he was standing at a window looking upward and muttering under his breath.

"Stupid, so stupid. I know people have a low opinion of the league but I went over the math, it'll work and then what will happen to us? It won't work, this time nature losses." He muttered before jumping when Salma put a hand on his shoulder.

"You seem to have a problem, mind telling me about it friend?" Salma asked as she put pressure in her grip on his shoulder, causing him to wince and look at her. The two figures looked at her and one of them started to move towards them only for the other to intercept him and shake his head when the other saw him.

"What are you doing here?!" The one who was intercepted asked quietly as the other pushed him against the wall.

"I was tracking another issue, but let's wait and listen in before we act." The interceptor said just as softly as the first looked conflicted but nodded at him. The man Salma had corned looked at her and sighed before he started to speak.

"I'm a scientist with the League; I'm part of the staff working on the project nearby. The break walls are just the first part of the plan to handle Tornadoes or Hurricanes, I've gone over the math and when the full plan works, the Hurricane won't even cause anything more than a strong wind that might rattle a few windows." The scientist said as Salma released him and looked at him in total shock. _If he's right then those things might attack the town tomorrow while we're thinking that the elements might deal with them._ Salma snapped back and shot a glare at the scientist who cowered from her.

"Did you tell anyone about this?" Salma asked and released a breath she was holding when he nodded at her.

"Yes mam I told Officer Jenny and she said she'd deal with it. A good evening to you." He said as he dashed away and Salma turned and walked back towards Anny. The two people who had overheard their conversation and nodded to each other before one of them gestured towards Salma and both moved after her.

Salma was deep in thought as she moved her mind a mess as she tried to put everything in order. She had lived in Kanto most of her life and knew all about league projects, some of them worked and some of them failed and that was how it was, some part of her didn't know what to expect but if something went right then maybe the winds wouldn't be so bad. _Of course a League Project would work right when we don't want it to! I just hope the Chimera stay away to let us mount a defense._ Salma thought as she walked towards Anny and smiled when she saw the young girl. She walked over and smiled as she sat down and Anny looked at her

"Is everything okay?" Anny asked as Salma picked up her tray and started to eat, after a few moments she looked at Anny and smiled at her.

"Everything is fine kid, I just saw something I thought I needed to check out, I was wrong. Say were your friends okay, I saw you alone in that store, were you separated from them?" Salma asked as she looked at the younger girl

"Uncle Homeschools me, so I don't have any friends really." Anny said as Salma was really starting to have a bad feeling about this all.

"What's your favorite class, I loved history." Salma said Anny who looked at the remains of her food before looking up at the older teen.

"Well I do okay at math and science, it's too bad girls can't become scientists, I'd think I'd be good at it….what's wrong?" Anny asked as she looked up as Salma gained a glare on her face for a few seconds.

"Nothing kid, I just realized that I need to have a long and spirited talk with your uncle, where do you think he is?" Salma asked as Anny looked up at her before speaking.

"He should be back once the travel ban is lifted; he went to Johto about a week ago." She said and Salma could barely hold in her rage at that comment.

"So who's been looking after you?" Salma asked as Anny looked at her and spoke.

"Myself, I'm old enough. And I had a bit of money left over from paying the bills so I went out for a burger since it was discount day." Anny said as Salma looked murderous before noticing her sister moving towards them with a murderous look on her face. Salma looked at Anny and smiled at her.

"I see my sister needs to talk with me, give us a few minutes would kid." Salma said as she got up and walked towards her sister. Rosette had a snarl on her face as and almost ran into her sister when she suddenly appeared in front of her.

"Jeez sis, what's wrong. You look like you want to murder someone." Salma said with a smirk on her face.

"If I did it'll improve the gene pool. How the hell did someone raise to such a rank with being so stupid!" Rosette said as Salma looked around and thought two people were trying to listen in on them.

"What happened, didn't you make contact with the Guard?" Salma asked, causing Rosette to scowl.

"Yeah, for my actions I'm to be dishonorably discharged." Rosette bit out before hugging her self. Salma stared in total shock and she thought she heard a muffled curse behind her for a second before looking at her sister.

"what? Why?" Salma demanded as Rosette just sighed.

"Because I, and this is a direct quote, 'Retreated in the face of an inferior enemy'. Those things over whelmed me and I was barely able to fight my way free! One person and their team can't hold back a swarm of Chimera acting as one." Rosette said as Salma stared at her before shaking her head.

"Can't you appeal to a higher officer?" Salma asked only for Rosette to just shake her head.

"The commanding general made the call and once the route to the Plateau is cleared to travel I'm to present myself for discharge. Yeah right, until the ban is lifted I'm staying here to defend this city." Rosette said with a hard look in her eyes. _And after maybe I'll join up with those Guardians, might be something good to do with my life._ Rosette thought as Salma looked at her.

"Well come on sis, let's get you something to eat and we'll bed down for the night and tackle this in the morning." Salma said as she grabbed Rosette's hand and pulled her towards the kitchen

The two figures who had been listing in on the girls looked at each other and one of them gestured towards a side room and they moved silently towards it, one of them closing the door behind them and the other hitting the wall with a fist.

"Its things like that that make me wonder why I try so hard to defend civilization!" He said as his clock revealing his carmine hair as the other one leaned against the door and sighed.

"Because for every stupid and idiotic person there is, there has to be at least ten more who deserve our effort Lance." The other figure said as Lance just sighed and nodded at him.

"Smart Looker, had thoughts like mine before old man?" Lance asked as Looker just chuckled and pulled back his hood and revealed his black hair and brown eyes.

"A few days and cases ended with me thinking like that, but what are you doing here, I didn't hear anything about you fighting the Chimera." Looker said as Lance chuckled sheepishly.

"I actually came here from the forest, I was chasing down a lead on Team Gaia and headed back to Viridian to try and catch their trail and slipped into the city during the last of the cleanup, you?" Lance said as Looker just looked conflicted before speaking.

"Shadow is in Viridian." Looker said causing Lance to go slack jaw before a hard look and he grabbed his right shoulder and glared into space. The two of them had crossed blades before, and Lance at least had a few scars that Shadow had given him. But the man had saved him a few times from Chimera, he had a particular hate for those things and given how old Shadow was he had to have been of age during the last Siege.

"That mercenary is in the city, why?" Lance asked as Looker just sighed and looked down.

"I have no idea, I was in the Den, just seeing if there were any underworld rumors floating about before I head back to base when Shadow came in and talked to the proprietor in his office. He left a few minutes later and said for him to call his brother here that he'd be there to trade information. If Shadow was looking into something I figured I find out what it was." Looker said as Lance looked around and tried to think of what Shadow was after. _Okay he's a mercenary, but he's stopped more Chimera then most people know have been born. And a possible new Siege is starting just before he makes it here, is that a coincidence?_ Lance thought as he looked back to Looker who was still speaking.

"….and another thing, what we just overheard is a travesty! What the hell is the guard doing Lance? 'Retreated in the face of an inferior enemy'? If their overwhelmed their supposed to retreat and tell people to get away from the area!" Looker said as Lance just sighed and nodded his head.

"I know, but over the last few months there's been a change in the guard, a new general took over after the last one retired due to health reasons. He could be trying to flex his muscles, this is the first major incident in his tenure and he might be looking for a scapegoat to show the slow response." Lance said as Looker's mouth dropped open in shock.

"The old man retired, I never heard about that!" Looker exclaimed as Lance looked embarrassed.

"Yeah well the old man wanted it that way. Anyway, I'm planning on speaking going there and speaking up based on the reports that the locals send in, I've already talked to Jenny about the lack of preparation and it was the local represented that was the problem." Lance said as Looker started to think.

"The battle axe held them back?! We're talking about the same woman right?" Looker demanded

"Actually she's on vacation for the two months, touring the Orange Islands last I heard, it's somebody named Peck." Lance said as Looker looked shocked.

"But she never takes vacations…unless she's forced to. She built up the maximum again didn't she?" Looker asked as he sighed as he thought about his old teacher. Lance meanwhile started to think about everything that had happened. _Looker's right, she never does this unless someone forces her, and near the start of the next Kanto Challenge, it doesn't make sense….wait Shadow here looking into something, is there a connection?_ Lance thought and glanced at Looker and made a semi painful choice.

"Look you handle the Shadow thing, I'll make it so I'm here officially and take part in any response they do. Good luck my friend." Lance said as he walked to the door, putting his hood back up as he did so. _Sorry Looker but if something is rotten in the Kanto League then as one of the Elite Four I need to handle it. I think I need to look into anything that might have happened within the area lately, maybe even along the border towns in Johto._ Lance thought as he slipped back in the crowd.

Looker glazed into space as he went over what Lance had just said. _'Good luck my friend" Lance what the hell? You realized something, something you can't tell me because…. I'm a member of the internal police. You think something is wrong in Kanto and you feel those of Kanto have to solve it, fine I don't know anything and I'll keep not knowing but come to me if its big._ Looker thought before he reached into his coat and started to put on his disguise to head to the Den to wait for Shadow.

Four teenage boys in green jackets followed a man in his twenties in a green jacket and a wearing a green hat, all of them looking all about with a mixture of fear and worry on their faces as they moved through the city, lead the way as they moved through Oddysy Town, the dawn sun just coming over the horizon and the city just starting to wake up. They darted off the main road down a side alley and moved towards the abounded section of the city, passing woman in trashy looking outfits as they moved about, a few calling out offers for pleasure as the five moved past them, sensual smiles on the woman's faces as the five moved, a few of the offers caused one of them to slow down before being pulled along by the others. The leader looked back and scowled before he barked at the trailing one.

"Keep moving you fool, we have to get to the fall back point now!" The leader called back as he moved along.

"Ahw boss I would just need a half hour at most!" The one who had to be pulled said as some of the others started to laugh and chuckle at this.

"He'd just need at most ten minutes really chief, so why can't be let him waste some of his money and help a girl make a bit o money?" One of the others said only for the target of his joke to glare at him and grab him.

"Why you!" The joker was in danger of being punched when the leader turned back and grabbed the target and growl, causing all of them to look at him.

"Stop the bullshit and follow me now, if you want to rumble later then do after we get some idea of what we've got to work with and the damage to the cause." The leader growled as he turned around and the joker was let go. The party moved into an area of broken looking buildings with graffiti and broken windows. Finally after a few minutes they reached an abandoned junk yard and were about to go in when two Sythers dropped down in front of them and behind them appeared two Escavalier who hovered, leveling their spears at two of the trainers in green each, their lances glowing and ready to fire.

"It's okay guys, they're on our side." A voice from behind them caused them to turn and see a teen their own age appear out of one of the torn apart buildings. He wore a green vest and had a steel gray headband on his head and had a smirk on his face. The leader looked at him and stared before speaking.

"You! Then the signal to fall back was genuine, the boss really did the last resort? What the heck caused that? Did the cops raid us or something?" The leader asked as the teen walked towards the leader as the Bug Pokémon faded back into hiding.

"Yeah it was Alexandr, I was coming in when I saw the Volcanora released and that was after I saw the coppers just got there a few minutes before the last resort and our boys were already down when they got there." The Teen said as Alexandr winced as he tried to figure out what had happened. _So it was true about the Volcarona, fuck I thought it was just something he said to make us sound more hardcore, something to make people quitting have second thoughts._ Alexandr thought as he looked ahead blank, keeping his thoughts from showing as the others behind him muttered, one comment in particular almost caused him to turn and deck him.

"I always thought the mad Volcarona was just gossip, Rex really did something like that?" one of the five with him said to the others softly as the teen led them into the junkyard and the four Pokemon returned to their hiding places. As Alexandr followed after the person who greeted them when they got to the junkyard he heard a scoff behind him.

"Mon's are meant to be weapons, first and foremost. So what if he _trained_ one to function the right way?" The teen who had been begging to _visit_ with the girls said, causing Alexandr to fume on the inside. _That ideology seems to be on the rise lately, why Sir Rex lets people like them into the group I don't know but I don't like it. Why did you and your wife have to leave us so suddenly Sir, couldn't you have stayed and taught your son more?_ Alexandr thought as he walked through the junkyard and passed through an opening in a wall of cars on their sides to an inner area.

Alexandr looked about and saw a warehouse in the back with teens in the colors of the Buzz Lords, Scolipede Riders, the Metalbuzz,, Poison Bleeders, and Psi-bugs stood around and muttering as he moved through them, hearing the rumors as he walked into the warehouse.

"I heard it was a whole band of Pokémon Rangers that stormed the place!" a grey jacked Metalbuzz said to Scolipede Rider

"Did you hear that the Den's set a bounty on Rex, something about him attacking the local's niece or something." A Poison Bleeder said to a Buzz Lord. Alexandr looked about and was about to call for quite when some else did it first.

A man with green hair in a ponytail wearing a jade green vest over a white t-shirt and black pants with a tattoo of the Bug Type symbol on his right check stood with his arms crossed as he looked at the people before him as he glared at them as they quitted down. His eyes went around the chamber and he mentaly went over who was here and who could be here and frowned. _There's only about a third of the rest of the gang here, where the heck are the others? No choice I've delayed this too long already and at least I have a target to direct them at._ He thought before he released a primal roar and everyone turned to face him.

"SHUT UP, ALL OF YOU!" He bellowed as he jumped onto a car set into the far wall of the warehouse to use it as a makeshift stage. As everyone saw who was there they started to mutter, surprised that they would see him of all people here.

"You all know me, Tiberius Gaulix, second in command behind the big boss Rex Tristo! A lot of you think I'm also supposed to be his bodyguard, and every one of you knows I'm the second best fighter in the team! And if I was there the brat wouldn't have gotten half as far as he did! But I wasn't there; I was taking care of the business that binds us all!" Tiberius cried out with a scowl on his face

"Look about you and what do you all see, you see, your comrades. The rest of the world would see the Poison Bleeder, Metal Stingers, Scolipede Riders and Psi-Bugs! But under everything we see friends and allies! No matter what we called ourselves we were all Buzz Lords at our core, no matter what the rest knew! We fought amongst ourselves to hide that so that when the time was right we would rise up as one and take back our city, take back all of Kalos and put it back on the right track in the name of the proper history and with our culture stronger than any another!" He bellowed only to be met with confirmations from the others.

"Kalos Proud!" One of Poison Bleeders said only to be meet with cheers as they looked at the speaker.

"Insects over all!" A Metal Stinger called out only to be slapped on the back by a Scolipede Rider who cheered as well. Alexandr looked around, barely hiding his dismay at the way the others were reacting

"That was the plan the Boss made, we would have ruled our lands when the glory of the warring period returned! But we've been stopped by some foreign scumbag who the boss wanted to raise to be a proper son of Kalos, him and show two broads the way they should act! And what did that scumbag do, hell the brat might even have some of our blood! But the boss was captured and our secrecy was broken by that same brat! And guess what boys, that scum bag and his friends are in this city! So what say you all, what do we do?!" The speaker roared out load as everyone started to riot before him.

"KILL'EM!" A Psi-Bugs member called out only to be met with roars of agreement.

"BREAK THE BITCHS INTO OUR TOYS!" Alexandr heard the teen he had led call out as the people started to roar out what they would do and shook his head and moved towards the back. The rest of the gangers never noticed that the some of their members had slipped out and caught each other's eyes and moved outside, lost in the fanfare the others were causing. As they reached the open space they saw Alexandr and moved towards him,

Alexandr looked about and mentally cataloged that he had maybe at best a third of the others who had come to the backup site with their Pokémon out and he looked around at their faces for a few moments before he spoke.

"I don't want to have to say this but I will, each of you here with me are loyal to the ideals of Tristo family over Rex, right?" he asked only to be met with a nod from all of them.

"Yeah Alexandr, so tell us what you think we should do?" A Psi-Bug member asked as his Mothim hovered over him. Alexandr looked around and was shocked when he saw everyone was looking at him, he looked about and stared

"All of you, you put that much stock in what I think about this?" Alexandr asked in shock as he looked about, the echoes of what the others were calling back to Tiberius sounding all around them.

"Yeah Alexandr, you're the old man, you've been in the gang longer then even Rex, before he took over and it was just the Tristo guard, if anyone would have an impression that would mater it'll be you!" A Metalbuzz member in a gray jacket said as the others muttered agreements

Alexandr looked around at the people around him, shocked beyond words that they would take such stock in his option and took a deep breath. _Forgive me sir but I can't do this, I won't be a part of it_. Alexandr thought as he steeled himself, saying a short apology to his former masters under his breath before he opened and steeled his eyes.

"If Rex Tristo did what they said he did to that Volcarono, then he doesn't deserve our loyalty, let alone our time getting revenge in his name, personally I will be making my way back to the Tristo estate to find out what the truth really is. As for the others, they can do what they want. I…" Alexandr said before someone spoke up behind him, causing him to turn and stare in shock.

"Perhaps you should let him get enough rope to hang himself?" A voice asked from the shadows as a female figure in a shimmering cloak covering her whole body walked up to them. She only smiled at them with red lips as Alexandr looked at her in shock.

"Wait, aren't you one of Lady Rebecca's friends?" Alexandr asked only for her to smirk at him.

"If you mean am I one of the handmaidens of the new holder of the Key of the Lord, then yes, yes I am." She said only for Alexandr to stare in total confusion, only for understanding to spark in his eyes. He stared in total shock and shook his head, not comprehending just what had happened before he spoke in a horse whisper.

"He lost the Key because of his actions?" Alexandr asked as the others looked between the two people, trying to understand just what they were hearing. _How, everything the master told me about it, the Key was neutral, it didn't care what its user does, how could Rex have lost the Key?!_ He thought only to stare as the woman before him started to giggle and look at him with a look of mischief in her eyes.

"He lost the Key in a bet, and he didn't even understand what he lost!" She said with a smirk on her face as Alexandr just stared in total confusion, shocked beyond words.

Rex smirked as he was marched through the station a smile on his face, already he was being transferred as he knew he would, soon he would be free. _Those idiots still don't know that their big boss is one of us; I can't wait until I control this town, and then I'll make Jenny into my bitch and turn Voila into my bed warmer._ Rex thought as he was led towards the back of the percent and looked up when his guards slowed down. He looked at Jenny standing next to a truck as three of his higher ranked followers were being put into a truck before it drove off. He smirked as Jenny walked towards him and stopped and looked at him before speaking.

"Last chance Rex, talk to me and you stay, don't and your go and have a much harder time with the professionals, I'm told that sometimes they break people like you so hard they spend the rest of their lives in asylums." Jenny said as she looked at him. Rex merely looked back and kept quit, his eye taking in the garage and he noticed a few more trucks being worked on and an empty space towards the back. Turning to Jenny he only sneered before he answered

"I think I'll take my chances with them Jenny, after all the stink of this place is starting to get most uncomfortable." Rex said as Jenny fumed before walking off and Rex was brought to the truck and pushed into it. As he was helped to his feet he looked about and saw only low level members of his group were with him for the ride to 'prison'. _Of course that bitch wouldn't send me with some of my higher minions, still there seems to be a good number of them here. Once we're out maybe I'll make this bunch my new guard until we meet up with the others. Of course then I'll have to find a way to get the others out, maybe a little mayhem around town before we raid the place, putting a few down to show who really rules around here._ Rex thought as his followers looked at him.

"How we gonna get out of this boss, we've got no mon or weapons?" One of them asked quietly as he looked back towards the front of the truck. Rex only chuckled as he smirked.

"Don't worry, we get far enough out of this city then we'll be rescued by our boys, they won't leave us to grow fat in jail!" Rex promised as the others grinned back at him.

"Yeah, a few hours and we'll be free and have a nice good story to laugh about!" One of the gangers said with a smirk as the others started to chuckle as the truck started to move. One of them looked towards the front and where the cab was and turned towards Rex.

"Nothing says we can't give our lovely chauffeurs a little _tip_ does it boss?" One of them asked as the others started to grin evilly Rex looked at him only to start to smirk evilly back.

"Nothing what so ever, in fact how about you give it to them yourself! And did anyone see if one of them is a lady we should treat _right_?" Rex asked as the others started to smirk and chuckle darkly. A banging from the front caused them to turn towards the cab and a small window opened and a man's face with a scowl on it and he was wearing a blue police hat.

"Quite down the laughter back there or so help me I'll come back there and beat you all senseless!" He said as he slammed the door closed and huffed as he scowled out the front window.

"Why did I get stuck with prisoner transfer duty?" He asked only to receive a laugh from the man behind the driver's seat. He turned and scowled when he saw the lazy smirk on his partner's face.

"Maybe it's that we loaded up a truck with recovered eggs and didn't notice that the drivers weren't who took the truck out that morning?" The driver asked only for the passenger to scoff and look out the window.

"You remember how much damage that mad Pokémon did, I just wanted to out of there and back to the station before a new fire started!" The passenger said as the driver laughed as he stopped at a traffic light.

"At least we weren't transferred, all we gotta do is get these VIS to the jail and then get back and we're not subjects to an inquiry!" The Driver said as the passenger started to steam.

"I THINK IT'S AND OUTRAGE! To think that I would have anything to do with those gangs that I could, no that I would be bought to do their bidding for money, it's an outrage!" The passenger snarled as the driver only grinned as he put the truck back into drive and moved towards Route Twenty-Two.

"Well as my old grandma used to say, when you have people who don't trust ya, do what you can to prove them wrong! So let's do the job and show the force just what we're really made of!" The driver said as the truck left Santalune City and drove onto Route Twenty-Two.

Rex leaned against the window and tried to fit what he had just heard into what had happened to cause him to end up in the truck. _So somebody stole some of the eggs we breed, how does that factor in to what happened at the base. That brat was only able to get so far because somebody destroyed the security room. So let's think, it happened before they were captured so he didn't have a reason to attack me then, was it part of a larger plan, did one of my orders cause him to look into my forces?_ Rex thought as he tried to understand just how stealing some eggs that the police confiscated fit into how his team was taken down. As the truck moved over a bridge the two people in the front cab never noticed a strange looking Zubat watched them.

They passed through the small town on Route 22 and drove into the wilderness. As they drove onward they never noticed that they were being followed. Rex looked out the back window, he didn't show it but he was getting nervous, he tried not to let it show but he was worried. _They should have hit this thing by now, where are my men?!_ Rex thought as a clanging caused him and the ones with him to look towards the front and saw the officer who had had bothered them before with a mocking grin on his face through the window.

"Hope you've all had a good ride, because it's almost over! Enjoy the last time you'll all have in a motorized vechile for years, cause we're be at the prison in the next two hours!" He said as he slammed the window shut and the others started to look at Rex with worry.

"When do you think they'll get us boss?" One the gangers asked with worry as Rex gritted his teeth.

The officer in the front smirked and laughed lightly as the driver sighed and shot him a reproachful look.

"Must you needle them like that, the gangs have a bad habit of pulling off breakouts, and sometime they kill the people transporting them!" The driver scolded the passanger who only laughed.

"They usually do it a lot sooner and with how fast the transfer was, I think we're home free!" He said as they saw a covered bridge over a medium sized river. As they passed a thick group of trees a Rattata dashed at the van and jumped onto the front axle and started to glow white before it exploded, caused the truck to summersault and land on its roof.

From under the bridge three Scythers with metallic wing coverings on its back, their right arms being replaced with saw blades moved towards the truck as from the trees two Toxicroak with two purple liquid gas tanks on it back with tubes leading to nozzles on the arms where its spikes would be charged at the truck. As the Scythers reached the truck one of them moved forward and started to cut at the door, the sounds causing the people in side to start laughing.

"I TOLD YOU THEY'D COME AND GET US! Not sure about the explosion but this was a dammed good job!" Rex called out with a laugh to his voice as the people inside tried to

"I would savor the last few breaths if I were you." A woman's voice said softly as a teen in a black halter top and black mini skirt and purple knee high boots walked out of the woods behind the Toxicroak. She had on black lipstick and her pink hair was in curls and there was a hard glint in her black eyes as she watched the Scyther cut at the door way and smirked at it. _This was perfect, killing those idiots in the security room was perfect, I was able to destroy their reaction and he destroyed them utterly. Now I get Rex as a Battler and the others can be spare parts or material._ She thought as she looked on as the door was finally cutaway.

"Great job, I'm going to….." Rex trailed off as he looked up at the Frankenmon staying down at him as one of the Toxicroak pointed its arms at him and holes opened in its hands and a purple black gas suddenly shot from them at him, covering him and the ones within in smoke. Rex jumped up and landed away from the truck and looked around and saw the pink haired girl. _Who the hell is she, wait that shade of hair, I know her!_ Rex thought as he realized who was standing before him.

"YOU! You're one of those bitches I broke, how the hell are you doing anything beyond what someone tells you and what are these things?" Rex demanded as the teen only looked at him and sighed as she drew forth two sai from her back as the Frankenmom moved away from the truck and looked at him.

"I had hoped to take you fast, but it seems your Aura gave you a little poison resistance, ah well, this is more fun!" She said as a manic gin formed on her face and she shot straight at Rex! Rex dodged to the left and grabbed a fallen branch and held it like a lance as he watched her. _Aura what is she, wait I…that bitch!_ Rex thought as his broke through a block on his memory and remembered everything that had been taken from him. He scowled as two jade energy insect like wings formed on his back and what looked like an insect exoskeleton formed from energy around his chest and shoulders as an energy helmet with two beetle-like horns formed on his head. The branch he was holding glowed jade and an energy point formed pointing at the pink haired teen who laughed. She touched a gem on both of her sai and they started to glow red and an armor of purple energy formed on her chest, arms and legs. Around her forehead a circlet of purple energy with what looked like horns on it above her eyes formed and she grinned at him. Rex moved towards her when he felt two blows to his back, jumping to the side when he landed he winced as he looked where he had been and saw the two Toxicroaks standing where he was, blood dripping from the spikes on their hands.

"You know what I love about fighting people like you?! It's how easy it is, just make them focus on you and then strike at their blind spots, few of them ever dodge it in time." She said as Rex felt something hitting him as his vision started to darken.

"Poison, what are you some kindo f assassin?" he muttered as she walked towards him as he fell. He heard her laugh and he saw her walk towards him as his energy armor fell as he felt himself fade.

"Oh don't worry, you're not dying just yet, it's better for us if your alive when we can kill you." She said as he dropped to the ground. She looked at the five Frankenmon and looked at the and truck and sighed. She and pulled out three small steel bars with buttons on the sides from behind her back and pressed the buttons and the Scythers turned into energy and shot into an opening at the end. Putting them back from where she had taken the bars she drew out another and press the button releasing what looked like a Dragonair with two sets Fearow wings and four sets of pincer like metal legs on its underside, a saddle on its back.

"{[Gascroaks]} get the people out from the back and load them on {[Dragoncarry]}." She commanded as she walked towards the van as the two named Gascroaks entered the van and carried the gangers inside towards the Dragon Frankenmon. As she carried out her orders she never noticed a spy glass glinting farther up the river.

"Boss Zayn, any idea what we just saw?" One of his men asked with a gulp as Zayn tried to figure out what to do. _Rex is dead, but this is too much. We can't take credit for this, better tell what we've seen and chart this up as another party finishing the job first. Still better record this, he's going to want to see what did this._ Zayn thought as he watched the woman get on the Dragonair thing and recall the other three Toxicroaks things into the bars.

Lilith sighed as she stretched as she looked over what she would be bringing to the contest. _Okay this time I'll be wearing my acrobatic outfit and that mask teacher got me for that ball. I think I'll try the Fire Bones this time and end with a landing._ Lilith thought as she finished putting the last of what she needed into a small carry bag. She looked towards Serena's bed and sighed, after Bonnie had fallen asleep she had noticed Serena toss and turn throughout the night and she was worried about the talk her friend would have with her mother today. Lilith looked up as Serena walked out of the bathroom drying her hair in a towel as she looked at Lilith with a small smile. Lilith grinned back and put her right hands on her hips and looked straight into Serena's eyes and saw the indecision in them.

"Don't say anything, let me guess, you're worried that your mother won't really listen to you when you have your talk, right?" Lilith asked only for Serena to sigh and look away.Lilith looked at her and just waited for Serena to start talking again.

"I guess I'm worried that this will be like last time, she'll just listen, nodded and forget about what I'm talking about and treat me like I don't know anything. I mean I was telling her for years that I didn't want to be a Racer but she never listened to me." Serena complained as Lilith just sat and listened to her let out what was bothering her.

"Don't be too hard when you talk to your mom Serena, use the truth and talk to her. She might not have listened but all the time you talked, you never told her what you wanted to do right? This time you do and it'll be different." Lilith said as Serena looked at her and smiled; a confident look in her eyes that told Lilith that Serena would be alright. _And this is good for my mission, an Aura Link to the prince will slowly batter down that seal and sooner or later he'll awaken Aura Abilities and I'll be one step closer to being able to talk to ever one truthfully._ Lilith thought as Serena walked towards where she had put her cloths.

"Thanks for the pep talk Lilly, now all I need to do is get out my 'official cloths' and I'll be okay to go." Serena said as she hesitated before turning to Lilith, a frown on her face.

"Are you sure it wouldn't be better for me to go to your contest and talk to mom after its done, she'll be in a good mood after the race and I did promise I'd watch your…" Serena tailed off as Lilith looked at her with a flat look. _Sorry girl but you need to handle this now before you try and put it off more than you should, this is like how cuz was about talking to Aunty about what she wanted to do._ Lilith thought as she looked at Serena.

"Go and take Ash for support and talk to him after you're done with your mom. Its best to strike when the iron is hot as a friend of mine always says." Lilith said as she looked at Serena's reddening face. She walked over and hugged her.

"Just talk to her slowly and calmly. And I'll see you after I win my second ribbon!" Lilith said as she walked out the door and Serena watched her go. _Okay Serena you just have to handle this and then, well you'll find your future out there._ She thought as she got up and grabbed a dress to change into.

Lilith walked through the Center carrying her small bag and smirked as she walked; everything was perfect, with luck Serena wouldn't back down from talking to her mom and get her blessing to travel with them. _And having an Aura Link with the prince will help with the seal; the sooner it breaks the sooner he can discover Aura and get back to his father with his mom. And I can show Clemont and Bonnie about it as well._ Lilith thought with a light blush as she walked towards the front door.

Looking up she saw Clemont and Bonnie in their normal attire but Ash was wearing a black formal suite and a fedora hat on his head. For a few seconds she thought she was looking at a painting of Delia with her boss from years ago. _Another mark that he's the one I thnk, no I know he is who he is; I have got to get a picture to send to Lady Camilla._ Lilith thought as she walked towards them. Bonnie noticed her coming towards them and smiled, causing Clemont and Ash to turn and see her.

"So ready to go to Lilly?" Bonnie asked as she came up to her.

"Just finished, you ready to watch me win my next ribbon?" She asked as she looked at Clemont and smiled at her. She looked around for Pikachu and not seeing him looked towards Ash who caught her look and gestured back towards into the Center.

"Pikachu's getting his checkup and having a good rest, I'll pick him up after the ceremony, good luck Lilly." Ash said as Lilith nodded and walked out of the entrance with Clemont and Bonnie. Ash stayed there and checked his Pokédex, navigating to a few chat rooms looking for anything that he might need to know about the local area, not finding anything he checked up on a few rivals here and there hoping that one of them might be in Kalos. _I guess that was to much to hope for, but maybe I'll find someone while I'm here, it's always better to compete against strong rivals._ Ash thought as he heard a voice behind him.

"Sorry I…took so long." Serena voice trailed off as Ash turned and stared for a second. Serena was wearing a blue strapless dress that went to her knees and showed the blue stockings and blue heels on her feet. Her dress showed a hint of her cleverage and she had on blue lipstick.

"Nice suit." Serena said as she looked at Ash as he stood there before her. _Where did he get that suite? He said he had formal wear but where did he?_ Serena thought as she looked at him and realized he had started speaking.

"Thanks, nice dress Serena. So think your mom will be done with her speech before lunch? And will you be able to talk to her" Ash asked as he gestured for her to follow him and he led the way towards the hall.

"No, she won't be too long. Let's just say I'll be able to talk to her before the race." Serena said with a mysterious smile on her face as Ash looked confused.

Serena looked at her mom give the opening address as she stood there in a beautiful blue kimono that she said had been a gift from Serena's father and smiled as she watched her mother finish up her speech.

"….So I am proud to say let the JR Rhyhorn Racing season begin! And as become our custom the season starts with the charity race! Good Luck to all Racers and hit the tracks!" Grace said as the people started to applaud as Ash gave a soft whistle. He leaned over to her from his seat and asked softly.

"When'd your mom get so good at speeches? Ash asked as he looked at Grace as she walked down from the podium and made small talk with varies people in suits or dress as the young racers behind her moved towards the exit to change into their racing suits heading to the starting line.

"Oh I think it was after she came in 2nd place for the second year in a row, and the only reason she didn't win that year was because her Rhyhorn was in the center, most of the racers Pokémon were actually. Something about a sickness that was like smallpox for Rock Types, so they used the points from the last race and the guy who won the cup that year was ahead of her by just one point that everyone, even the thought mom would have made up in the next race." Serena said as she looked at Ash and forced down a blush. _He looks great in that suit, where'd he get it and why'd he bring it with him if he was just challenging the League, something to ask him about later I guess._ Serena thought as she watched Ash before noticing he was looking at her.

"I'll go talk to her, and thanks for coming." Serena said as she got up and smiled at Ash who smirked back at her.

"Its fine Serena, I don't know what you need to talk to your mom about but good luck." Ash said as Serena smiled and walked towards Grace.

Grace looked up and saw the look on Serena's face and finished talking to the people she was with and moved towards a door to a side room where they could have a conversation.

"So what's up Serena, I'm guessing this isn't about training for next year?" Grace said as Serena closed the door and looked at her.

"I don't want to be a Racer like you mom, I don't know what I want but I know that much." Serena said as Grace sighed and looked at her with a bittersweet smile.

"I've known that for a while, I guess we just got into a routine and I've been trying to get around to talking about it with you, I'm sorry if I was…forcing you into following my path." Grace said only for Serena to sigh and look away.

"I wasn't really fighting you, I just…everything seemed so pointless and getting up early was good for me and the training helped me stay in shape. I don't want to challenge the leagues, I don't know what I want but I want to discover it for myself." Serena said as she held her arms and Grace looked at her. _She's been thinking about this, I guess she just needed a kick start and_

"What's different Serena, I know something had to have happened while you were getting your first Pokémon? " Grace asked causing Serena to look her mother in the eyes and respond.

"I fought off a Chimera; I was kidnapped by a gang and broke out after I watched a Gym Battle live." Serena said flatly as Grace stared in total shock at what her daughter said before laughing herself silly. _Oh to think the apple didn't fall far from the tree! This is just like how I got into racing after I escaped from my parents' home back in Kanto._ Grace thought as she looked at her daughter who looked at her with a worried look.

"Go, find what you want to do with your life. And I think you have some wonderful traveling companions who would love to have you travel with them." Grace said as Serena smiled at her mother and gave her a hug.

"And before I go you have to try this wonderful tea Lilly has, she says it's from her home and the people who make were trying to advertise it." Serena said as Grace perked up. _One thing I can count on is that the two of us like similar teas; if Serena likes it then I have to give it a try_. Grace thought as she looked at her daughter.

"That Coordinator friend of yours? I'll give it a try, might be something." Grace said as she led Serena back towards the main room. Serena smiled and thought about Lilly, wondering if she had won the contest.

"Well folks this is it, the final stage for the Odyssey Village Pokémon Contest! The performances have been wonderful and now it's time for the last battle, Lilly Nightbloom VS Jon Granittum!" The person speaking was a woman with red hair in buns wearing a red strapless dress with red lips. Lilith stood in a black tunic with a golden Rayquaza on it and long sleeves that hid her hands and black pants. Her opponent was wearing a grey tuxedo and had a black beard. He just smirked at her and shot her a condescending look.

"You got lucky so far little girl but I'm getting my 1st ribbon. Go Golem!" Jon cried as he threw out a Pokéball and released a Golem. Lilith just smirked and drew forth

"Let's let the result of our teachings tell, Mandibuzz take flight!" Lilith said as her Mandibuzz appeared and took flight.

"Golem, Rock Throw!" Jon cried, Golem tucked its limbs and head away and jumped at Mandibuzz as it flew in a circle around the battlefield.

"Toxic as it pass!" Lilith said as she watched Golem lung for Mandibuzz. Mandibuzz opened its beck and released a purple cloud that engulfed Golem as it missed hit the flying type. As it landed it shock and Lilith saw purple bubbles and lightning flow over Golem's body. As the Rock Type got back to its feet the scoreboard dropped a fourth for Golem and Mandibuzz's stayed full. Lilith let a smirk form on her face as she saw this and her opponent gain a grimace. _How do I get around this, I need to do something to get a few points off her, I was hoping to save this, but no choice._ Jon thought as he watched the Mandibuzz

"Flamethrower!" Jon said as Golem opened its mouth and spat a stream of red-orange flame that hit Mandibuzz and caused it to drop about a foot before it righted itself. Lilith winced as her score dropped a good fifth and Lilith spared a glance at the clock and saw the battle was still had three minutes and looked at Jon who smirked mockingly at her. _Good he's thinking I'm loosen my cool, I just need to keep my face like this._ Lilith thought as she did everything to keep her face looking downcast.

"Stone Edge, finish it!" Jon said with a grin that grew as two light blue rings surround Golem's body before shards of stone shot at Mandibuzz. Lilith let a grin form on her face as she realized he had fallen into her trap.

"Dodge it and Shadow Ball!" Lilith said as Jon realized he had been tricked. Mandibuzz stopped flapping its wings and dropped below the attack and opened its mouth and shot a ball of black energy at Golem that hit, Mandibuzz flapped its wings a good foot off the ground and flew upwards before Golem could react to her lowered altitude. Jon winced and looked at the scoreboard and scowled when he saw he had dropped down to only a third. As the battle reached the last minute Jon grimaced as he looked at Mandibuzz. _No other choice, I have to use that tactic. I had hoped I could save it but no choice._ Jon thought as he looked at Lilith.

"Sandstorm, then Rock Throw!" Jon called as Golem slammed its legs down onto the ground and a sand storm formed around covered the battle area. As Lilith raised her arm to block out the sand she tried to figure how to handle this. _Just a minute left to go, got to hide it out. That's it!_ Lilith thought as she covered her eyes.

" Higher and Double Team now!" Lilith called out. Mandibuzz flew upwards gained a white outline and illusory copies of herself appeared. Golem flew out of the sand storm and hit one of the copies and fell back to the ground when a loud buzz sounded.

"BATTLE OFF! The battles done and the winner is Lilly Nightbloom!" The woman in red said into her microphone and Manidbuzz flew and landed next to Lilith as Golem looked up and Jon stared at the judges. Lilith looked towards the stands and saw Clemont and Bonnie smiling at her. _Great, I've got my second Ribbon and can compete for a Great Ribbon! I only hope Serena and her mother had a proper talk and she can travel with us._ Lilith thought as she looked at her friends before she walked towards the judges.

A woman with short blond hair in a bun in a green business suit, green high heels and glasses above her emerald green lips set into a frown walked through a hallway holding a tablet under her arm, the hallway had paintings of knights in armor with Grass Pokémon standing next to the knight. _He's not going to be pleased about this, well he will with what happens to Rex but the rest he won't. Still the take is excellent so far and the races and games there's that. But the fact that he is in the region will be problematic if he's after something that could affect his plans._ The woman thought as she walked through the hallways and tried to not to let her thoughts wanderer too much.

"Still why is he here, there isn't anything that would have caused him to come, nothing that comes to mind." She said as she tried to figure out the answer as she moved towards her goal; black double doors with a grass symbol painted in an emerald color. She stopped when she saw the doors before she shook herself. _Get a grip, you knew this would be hard but he doesn't shoot the messenger, he does give the messenger a heaver job load but it's all worth it._ As she walked towards the doors they opened by themselves and she walked into an office room with a computer on an oak desk with a black carpet in front of it and a glass door opening onto a balcony overlooking a forest.

"Ah there you are Jade, you have the final report on the Tristo situation?" A voice asked as the chair turned and revealed a bald man with a savage grin on his face dressed in an expensive looking green suite. Regan Protoflora smiled as he looked at Jade as she walked towards him.

"Yes Mr. Protoflora. The Lady Rebecca Tristo has assumed leadership of her family, so far the official word is she wasn't involved with the Buzz lords and Rex has been recorded as a misogynistic person hating anyone who wasn't born on Kalos soil. He was transferred earlier today to the Fangrock Prison; however I don't believe he'll make it there. Mr. Jarlson hired the Rampagers to make sure he doesn't tell the officials what he knows about the plans." Jade said as she looked at him, staying silent as he started to laugh so hard he had to lean against his desk.

"Oh Palvo, you wonderful idiotic berserker you! You could always be counted on to handle things in a perfect manor if someone could track it back to you! Perfect, with Rebecca holding down her family headship then I doubt the orders to _them_ will continue, so then the Coastal

alliance will have a few less profits in the future! A good deal with someone in the Mountain

and I'll be able to bring the Central alliance higher and this time I'll be the Grand Leader! Perhaps I should contact a few of my associates and have a party to celebrate my good fortune! And is there anything else I should know about my Dear?" asked Jade who looked away before she spoke.

"There's a rumor sir; that the Battler is in Kalos. Someone said he talked to Joey at the Santalune Den." Jade said as she looked at him wincing. The man stared at her before shooting to his feet, slamming his fists into his desk as he did so.

"THE BATTLER, HERE?! Why, in the name of the Legendries would he be here?! The last reported sighting showed he was in the Decolore Islands!" He demanded as Jade looked at him before she looked away. _She wouldn't know of course, she's just my secretary, and she's only been with me for a year now, what could have brought him to Kalos?_ Regan thought as he looked a Jade only for her to look down at her tablet before she looked up at him.

"Unknown at this time sir, only that the rumor says he went to the Den and paid with a coin for privileged information, what he asked about Joey is as usual up in the air, some say for sightings on rare Pokémon to the newest Black Bounty." Jade said as she looked at him as he stood up and started to pace back and forth as he started to mutter under his breath as he walked. _He destroyed Team Plasma, could he be looking for the weapons that the Alliance sold them? He could be tracking down that old base they set up to condition Pokémon; did he discover a link to us, I know there was a rumor that someone was selling eggs from somewhere in the region, but who?_ Regan thought as he paced back and forth until he stopped and looked at Jade with a hard look.

"Ms. Jade I want you to check everything that hinted at an outer region trade both legal and otherwise. I want a report on every single profitable venture we have and compare the numbers based on last year's take. I want the reports from our bookies with my breakfast tomorrow and I want any news that might have caused that individual to come here and moved against the Buzz Lords as soon as you can find it." He said as Jade finished jolting down his orders and nodded at her.

"Yes sir; shall I have the chief make one of you favorites or do you want me to make a reservation at one of you restaurants?" Jade asked as Regan looked at her and sighed before shaking his head before he walked back towards his desk.

"No, no. Tell the chief to make me a few sandwiches and have them brought to me later. Oh and check the trainers who have registered for this year's league and identify any trainers who might reach the finals and send me their profiles, I'll set the odds to give to the bookies -tomorrow." Regan said as he started to call to work. Jade nodded and walked off, her own thoughts running wild, stopping at the doorway and turned towards him.

"What about the Pokémon Contests sir? Shall I look into that as well?" Jade asked as she looked back at him. Regan looked up and looked confused before he understood what she was talking about. _Contests what is she talking about? Oh of course that's what she's talking about, I forgot all about it. Yes, something like that might help give me the Chair._ He thought as he leaned back and nodded.

"Yes, yes. I want the record of all the prominent Coordinators and I want you check who has signed up for what might be the last Showcase year; it would be a perfect start for next year's earnings to see what odds the bookie will give." Regan said as he leaned back. Jade nodded and walked out of the room, once the doors closed she looked back with a look that hid her true thoughts. _That scum sucker, I can't wait until I finally have enough to figure out who sold that_ _ **poison**_ _and bring the pain down on them. Wait a little longer sis, I'll find a cure for you._ Jade thought as she walked off towards her office.

In the office Regan started to look over data before smiling slightly. _Perfect, the casinos profits are at expected levels and with the racing season starting soon I can't wait until I see the first months take! I love it when everything goes my way, even with that one wandering around I just hope nothing goes wrong._ He thought as he turned and looked out the window and rubbed his chin as he gathered his thoughts.The Junior League was starting up and with the champion of the last year announcing that she would stay out of the next professional league the bets on her average this year would make him quite a mint. _I love it when I collect on sure bets; it makes me feel so happy that I have those watchers and bugs in all the best racers homes._ Regan thought as he called up a few more before calling up the local news and smiled at the headlines, 'Gang Swatted, Noble Arrested!', and started to chuckle he saw confirmation that the source many of the problems that had plagued him since he had taken over his sector of the Returners was finally going away forever.

He looked up when his phone rang and smiled when he saw it was Palvo and smiled. _So is he calling to tell me that he dealt with Rex or that his efferts to save him went away? Ah well he always was one of the few people who never gave me any problems so I do owe him in a way, I'll let him talk and lie to me, it'll probably give me a good laugh and I do need it._ Regan thought as he picked up his phone and smiled.

"Palvo, my friend how are you, terrible what happened to Rex I was just starting to make a plan to get him freed when you called. If you have any…." Regan began before Palvo intruded him.

"Rex is dead, the truck he was in was attacked by…. _something_ controlled by what looked like a Joy!" Palvo interrupted him with a hard edge to his voice that caused Regan to jump to his feet as he tried to understand what he was hearing.

"What do you mean _something_? How…never mind that how did you find out about it?" Regan demanded as tightened his grip on his phone. _What is this… is he trying to hide what he had done? No he wouldn't do that; it's completely out of character for him!_ Regan thought as Palvo started to speak.

"I sent in the Rampagers to deal with Rex's incarnation and they just sent me a video of what they saw, I don't know what that thing was but I wouldn't be surprised if it was dead, as in he moved despite being dead!" Palvo said as Regan stared at his phone in complete confusion.

Leaf looked about as people moved about as children and the elderly were getting on wagons and others looked around for any sign of the tree like creatures coming at them. The other night they had tried to attack the gathering and the farmers had been able to kill and drive them off, but when the hurricane warning had hit the area they had stayed at the meeting place once the all clear had sounded they all started to put all they had brought with them onto their carts to get to Viridian. She looked around as the families and their allies started to move, looking backwards as she was sure they had only driven those things off for a few hours at best. _We have to move soon, we've been lucky but if those things come in force again I don't think we'd be able to handle it_. She thought as she saw the families getting ready to move.

"Trouble Miss Leaf?" A voice asked and she looked up as Chogan Fallsbloom came up ridding on a Mightyena. She looked at him for a few seconds and noted the backpack on his back and the pockets on his Pokémon's saddle and sighed as she gathered her thoughts.

"We've been lucky, but I don't know how much longer it'll last. We have to move soon." Leaf said only for Chogan to start to laugh heartily. Leaf looked at him and he just grinned at her.

"Yeah, but we can beat 'em! Why I remember when Nicky and me helped kill that Chimera a few weeks before he disappeared on that quest of his. Shoulda gone with 'em, the hell with the harvest." Chogan said with a somber look on his face. _Nicky, why would he bring up Nick, did she tell them about him?_ Leaf thought as she looked at him before they heard a laugh.

"You've always been a muscle head Chogan, but really, this takes the cake! If Nick wasn't there then I'd think you'd be dead already." A female voice said from behind them. Turning they saw Isa walk towards them with a smirk on her face as she looked at them. Leaf noticed a backpack with a quiver of arrows built into it on her back and a bow over her shoulder. Leaf looked at her and noticed a second Pokéball on her waist and turned towards the Flareblood contingent and noticed Holly had an axe on her back as she helped her family's allies into the wagons. _All three of them have their weapons out, it could be nothing but after what I told Holly and how he mentioned Nick_. Leaf said nothing but reached over and grabbed Chogan around his neck and brought him down to look her in the eyes. Chogan started to sweet and Isa started to move backwards but stopped when Leaf turned and speared her with a harsh glare that froze her in her tracks.

"What are you all planning?" Leaf demanded as she looked at both Chogan and Isa who both only started to sweat or look away. _I knew I should have gone by without stopping but I had to say something didn't I, why can't I just let it go._ Chogan thought as he tried to think of what to say.

"We're getting our friend back." Isa said after a few moments causing both Leaf and Chogan to look at her in shock.

"ISA!" Chogan said with horror that she spilled their plans so easily.

"Continue." Leaf said as she looked at the two of them and Isa just sighed.

"Nick wouldn't join up with a cult without those scums doing something to him. So the three of us are going to find a chance to get him alone and talk to him, find out what the story is. if we gotta bust some heads then so be it, but we will have the truth." Isa said as Leaf just looked at her and Chogan.

"And How do you all plan to find them, make me tell you where he was? Leaf asked only for Chogan to shake his head.

"The idea was to go and try and find Tea Gaia members and try and shake down where their all hiding. Once we know that we thought we'd stake it out and what for Nick to come out and act once we've seen him." Chogan said only for Leaf to look at them both before turning to look at Holly. _They don't know where I saw Nick or how he was but their still willing to try and get their friend alone to talk, some loyalty. Still I can't let them go alone; I guess it'll be four instead of three._ Leafthought as she looked at the two of them.

"Okay; new plan. You three help me get the rest of them back to Viridian then the four of us slip away and I'll take you to where I saw the lot of them fighting." Leaf said as Chogan and Isa looked at her in shock.

"Leaf, are you sure about that?" Isa asked as Leaf nodded.

"Yes, I can tell anyone who asks why we're leaving that I'm worried about some of the hermits around here and you can say you're going to keep me safe, I help enough people around here that they most would believe that." Leaf said as she noticed the last few people were getting on their Pokémon and she turned to them.

"I'll tell Holly about it on the move, get back to your people and keep an eye towards our rear." Leaf said as Chogan and Isa both started to nodded at her. Leaf released her Dodrio and led it towards the front and stopped next to Jed as he scratched an old looking Houndoom with a broken left horn and a saddle under its chin.

"Everyone seems to be ready Mr. Flareblood, I think their just waiting on you sir." Leaf said causing Jed to scoff as he stretched. As he stood up the Houndoom sat down and he got into the saddle and looked about.

"About time, why it takes so long just to get into wagons I'll never know. OKAY FOLKS MOVE IT OUT!" He bellowed as his Houndoom started forwards as the group started to move, the strongest trainers behind and to the sides as they moved. As they moved towards Viridian Leaf looked over her shoulder as she got onto her Dodrio and joined the rear guard as it formed up, looking towards the forest as they departed. As they moved along the road she looked towards the front of the group, never noticing one of the lone trees had a bare patch at the top that unfolded two wing like growths

A woman with brown hair with a single fringe at the center with two long side edges that ended above her shoulders wearing a sleeveless orange tunic with a black collar, white gloves with black fingertips, and white pockets and stripes over black cycle shorts, a mint green fanny pack, a green and white kerchief and black ankle socks and orange above white and black shoes was running through a busy city street. She dodged the people as she moved towards a Pokémon Center as she thought about everything that had happened to her. After she had split form Ash and the others she had gone on her own to do Pokémon Contests and had run into the Professor while doing a Quest to find a special flower. She had been there to track down a ruin in the same mountain and May's knowledge on the ancient alphabet of the Water People had surprised her and she had requested her for a Quest after the Contest season was done. One thing led to another and after two years she had become something of an apprentice of shorts to her and sometime in their first year together the two of them had fought off a group of bandits and gotten away with a scroll in a stone scroll case that had given the two of them a look at a possible undiscovered global civilization! There was a lot they couldn't make out but the study of it had led to an undiscovered port town in Hoenn near Lilycove City. They had passed through her home town and stayed the night with her family and Max had begged to travel with them for a while and their parents had agreed if he kept up his studies and took tests at every Pokémon Center, a failing grade and he was to go home. But, well he had really progressed; he had taken the test to become a Jr. Trainer and passed it with flying colors! Once they had reached Lilycove they meet up with the group and Max had been the one found the way into the hidden port.

They had then spent the next two months excavating the port before they had found the town's library and had found a tome that described when the meteor crashed that created the crater that Sootopolis City would be built in. And it described how the settlers fought off a Chimera that tried to eat them, a serpent of some kind that had almost killed them but they had won with the help of warriors and Pokémon charging from the shore at the beast, the likes of which had never seen before in Hoenn! That explained a few customs Sootopolis City had but the descriptions of the Pokémon had pointed them towards Kalos and they were going. Once the Pokémon Max had promised would be his starter would get there they were on their way and Max was to go home but she had a surprise for him that he was sure to love. _I can't believe my parents said it was okay, I guess the fact that Ash is there might have made them decide it would be a good thing for Max to see old friends again, but why they think I'm going to go out of my way to see Ash is something I don't know._ May thought as she ran, not noticing that as she ran she had gained a blush on her face.

She reached the Pokémon Center and frowned when she noticed how dead the entrance was, this time of year people were usually all around the room readying to travel the sea routes to Sootopolis City or on the Gym Trail for the next Hoenn League, what was happening. Looking around she saw people clustered around the rest area of the center and noticed Max was by the edges, a look of concern on his face and when he saw her he moved towards her at a dead run.

"May, have you heard!?" Max demanded as soon as he reached his sister looking up at her in worry that caused her to get a little scared. _He wasn't this scared when Diaxis attacked City, what could be happening that caused this reaction? The only thing that ever got him this worked up was when!_ May thoughts died as she looked at her brother and felt a chill settle in her center.

"Heard what, Max what are you talking about, what happened?" May asked her brother as he looked at her before grabbing her and pulling her towards the front of the group until she could see the TV and the trainers clustered around it. May could see a headline that read 'Attack on Viridian", had something happened in Viridian, was Brock okay?

"Hey, turn it up!" Max called to one of the people around the who raised the volume as the lady reporter on screen started to speak, what she heard floored May.

"To return to our top story, yesterday a savage horde of Chimera attacked Viridian City. Thankfully the horde was beaten back with no fatalities among the defenders, which is amazing considering the plague outbreak that swept through the area recently among many Pokémon here in the city. The militia had been called up in response to what at the time thought of as nothing more than a few Chimera, but the sheer size caught everyone by surprise and the Mayor has closed Route 22 until further notice. League officials have not be reached for comment however the mood at the Indigo Plateau has been reported to be nervous as the area moves into a heightened state of alert as plans are drafted to deal with the problem. Is this the start of a new Siege, will the League move like they did during the last Siege? Only time will tell, but they've currently closed Victory Road and are readying for action, back to you in the studio." The reporter said as May sat back down as she remembered her chat a few days ago with the others and how Brock had been a no show. _Misty said Brock contacted her about an expedition in the mountains to track down the source of that but he thought it was a Chimera, a single Chimera not a horde! Keep calm you're too far away to help out and you have to trust in his skill to handle it. And there's the local Gym too, they had to have survived._ May thought as she felt Max grab her arm. May pulled Max away from the group of people and stopped where she could hear him and he could hear her. Looking down at him she winced at the worry she saw on his face.

"Brock's in Viridain isn't he May?" Max's question caused her to look down and she saw her brother look up at her with a scared look on his face. _I have to get him calmed down, I mean he's only a year from starting his own journey and I can't give anyone a reason to suggest he heads home, I know people would use this against dad and the family_. May thought as she looked down at her brother and forced a smile on her face.

"He is but you know how strong Brock is and he's at a city with one of Kanto's best gyms. It's like when dad help take out that Chimera all those years ago, trust in his strength and he'll be okay." May said with more confidence then she felt. _I think once I can get away I'll log into the chat room and see if he posted an update or if Misty heard from him. I can only hope that the Chimera didn't come from the mountains._ May thought as she tried to keep Max's spirit's up. Max smiled up at his sister and nodded to her.

"Yeah, your right sis! Brock could slaughter those Chimera with half a team! He's probably fine, heck I feel ashamed to have even been worried about him!" Max said causing May to laugh as she looked down at him with a smile on her face as she reached down and rubbed his head, he laughed and pushed her hand off.

"You care about your friends, it's nothing to be ashamed of Max." May said causing Max to grin checkily up at her.

"Like how you _feel_ about Ash sis?" Max asked as May turned her head away and huffed with a blush on her face as May laughed. May looked back at her brother and smirked. _Little pain, but I think I'll tell him the good news now._

"May, I talked with our parents and they said you can come with us when we head to Kalos, they think this traveling is doing great for you!" May said as s

"Max Maple please come to the front desk, your package has arrived, again Max Maple please come to the front desk, your package has arrived." A voice called out from the Center's loudspeakers and Max perked up as Max realized what he had been waiting for was finally here. She nodded at him when he looked at her and he smiled before he turned and ran off.

May watched Max dash off to the center's main desk to pick up his starter and she walked towards a quit place to call someone. Activating her Pokegear she moved to a number at the top of her contact list and called it.

"Doctor, its May. Everything is fine on my end and Max just got what we were waiting for, we can leave when you're ready to move." May said as soon as she heard a laugh from her gear.

"Excellent! I'm just handling the last of the paperwork to hand off the site to the team from the regions university and I should be finished by supper. We can move out tomorrow at the earliest if everything is finished on your end and I think the people are a perfect group." A female voice came over the phone with a happy tone to her voice.

"I thought you might take a little longer, what, did _he_ come to take over?" May asked and was rewarded with a huff.

"No actually, she won a vacation to Alola of all places! Something about not letting me bothering her and went off without looking back! But I'm not convinced, I'm sure he's after something, I'll call a friend of mine in Alola and have him watched, I'll get proof about what he's all about sooner or later, mark my word!" The voice said as May covered and muted her gear so she could sigh as she thought about what she knew.

The two of them had been students and according to a few people she had talked to, they might have been more once. But according to the doctor a few artifacts had been stolen from a dig the two had been a part of and she still thought he had something to do with it. Since then she had been trying to expose what she called a stain on Archeology and May had to admit the circumstantial evidence had grown rather tall over the years and she could see how her friend believed that about him.

"I know you think the bastard's a profiteer doc, but you need to let it go or stop letting him bother you. Think what we're after, once you publish it, and then think of what you could do next. If you like I'll talk to a friend of mine about him; he has a few contacts in law enforcement so maybe some official light could do some good." May said as her friend stopped to catch her breath and May forced herself to relax, the next few months would be interesting.

"You're right, your right May. On a light note did you hear back from your parents, did they give their blessing?" She asked causing May to lean against a wall and smirk as she saw Max at the corner of her eyes coming towards them.

"Blessing received, but I'll tell him later tonight." May said with a smirk as she heard a laugh from her Pokégear.

Brock walked through the hospital as he went over everything that had happened during the expedition, he had spent hours after he made it to the Hospital to treat Growlithe but had only been able to make it comfortable before the other cases demanded his attention. He had spent the rest of the night running around helping the doctors pervade treatment for all the injured people and Pokémon and had only been able to get maybe two hours of sleep that hadn't lasted enough for him. He stopped outside a room and read the papers hanging on the wall and sighed as he moved on, at least the outbreak was dying down so that tracked with what he thought before he set out. He stopped outside the break room he and the others had made the plans for the expedition and entered, seeing Ryouta lying down on the couch as Sayeko poured herself some tea. As he entered the room he saw the others look up at him and Ryouta sat up with a smile on his face.

"So the conquering hero returns to this lowly place, how was the mountain wildlife?" Ryouta asked with a smirk on his face that earned him a slap from his wife.

"Not too bad, but I could have done with better travel partners really." Brock said as he went to the tea pot and poured himself his own cup. As Sayeko looked at him in concern Ryouta looked at Brock with a frown on his face.

"Is that part of the reason why only one of the people who went up with you came back with you even though you only sent one of them back with that sample?" Sayeko asked softly as she looked at her husband as Brock sighed. _I know we promised Riley not to say anything but I need to tell them something, and I can bet that Yuji is telling Giovanni something._ Brock thought before he made a choice.

"They were supposed to be veteran Chimera Hunters, but they broke when we were attacked. Last I saw them they were running in the direction of Johto, and I hope the Chimera got them." Brock said as Ryouta and Sayeko looked at Brock in shock before Ryouta started to swear.

"Of all the….! How the heck could such scum stay alive after everything that happens to good people I will never know!" Ryouta said as he got up and started to pace back and forth as Brock winced, hoping that Ryouta would never learn the truth about what had happened up there if such a small part of it caused him to react like this.

"How was what Salma brought back, did you learn anything?" Brock asked the one question he had

"The specimen was in a word, interesting. The brain was malformed and had spots on it; I can't describe it better than that, I have no idea what affects it had on the subject. The rest of the body was checked over in the remote theater, and I only found two interesting points, care to guess?" Ryouta said as Brock started to think as he remembered the battles he had with the Chimera. _Okay, think. The strain that I sent back all attacked on the ground, none of them flew until we stated to move down the mountain then the other must be…_ Brock thought as he looked up at Ryouta.

"I would have to think it's the wing cases on their exoskeletons, were they ornamental and the other I would have to say it's something internal." Brock said causing Ryouta to grin at his student.

"Correct, the Chimera's organs were in perfect health except one. I've only seen something like it when an organ stopped working. Really I've never seen anything in any corpse I've looked at before. You know, that reminds me about an investigation I assisted with years ago." Ryouta said as Brock and Sayeko looked on as they both braced for one of his long stories. They never noticed the look in Ryouta's eyes as he observed them and the hint of mischief in his eyes. _I love it when those two react to the change of me telling one of my stories. Still I should keep it to the present and not think about the past_. Ryouta thought as he hid a smirk as he thought their reactions.

"Still that's something that I think I should talk about later. Brock I need you to check over the condition of the patients on floors five upwards. Sayeko would you mind checking on how much supply we have left for Potions and bandages please, I'll check the condition for the patients on floors four down." Ryouta said as his wife and Brock both jolted and looked at him and hid their grins on Ryouta's actions.

"Got it Doctor, I'll work my way down and see you later sir." Brock said as he walked out the door. Sayeko walked over to him and kissed him on the check.

"I'll check the store room and call the Pewter Center once I'm done and see if I can't order whatever we're close to being out of and I'll see you back at our rooms." She said as she walked off, a swing in her step as she left. Ryouta looked at the door before he sighed and walked to it and locked it before he walked towards a computer and inserted a USB device he took out of his pocked and called up a file and looked over what was in it. As he read what was there he just sighed and typed out a few words and saved and closed the file, he nodded to himself as he slipped the USB Stick back into his pocket and walked to the door and opened it and left the room as if he hadn't done anything at all. _I don't know what it is your hiding, but I know you are, I'm not sure how many you are or why but we will find out._ Ryouta thought as he walked towards the stairs.

"I tell ya boss, those two who Karin sent with us weren't who she thought they were." Yuji said as he stood before Giovanni's desk. Yuji had signaled Giovanni during the cleanup after they had pushed back the Chimera incursion he had information that Giovanni needed to know as the Gym Leader and to keep it quiet that Yuji had signaled him.

"In what way, they weren't Hunters? I wouldn't think one of the Elite Four would send ordinary trainers on a possible Chimera hunt?" Giovanni asked he raised an eyebrow as Yuji gained a look of anger. _I was wondering about those people, giving the report Sham sent back about the Pokémon abuser and the fact they needed a burner lab and Joyful to be sent to do surgery on them. If those people that Karin is connected are willing to go that far then for the greater plan to work we need to identify how big they are, and they can't take Saffron Courp no matter what. I know I promised not to move some of my people in but maybe I can get more people to be stationed at the Parlor, maybe reinforce them and have one of my Executives stationed there._ Giovanni thought as he listened to Yuji.

"For one the bastard who went with us tried to feed me to the Chimera and the bitch ran out and left Brock to die alone! And there are a lot of those things up there boss, I don't know how many but it seems like they just exploded out of nowhere, killing and harvesting the mountain, heck their even taking the life force from the plants somehow!" Yuji said, causing Giovanni to jolt and look at him with a hard glare

"I know how that sounds sir but I found some dead trees with webbing on them and tracked the strands to a cave some of those things carried a giant version of them out of a cave. Of course that was when he tried to feed me to them by caving in the mouth of the cave when the procession was half way out of it. And I don't know about the other but he did it as if he planned to do so." Yuji said as he locked his eyes with Giovanni. Giovanni looked at Yuji's eyes and saw the truth and passion in them and nodded back before speaking.

"Okay, let me see if I'm understanding what you're saying; those two who Brock reported had died really tried to sacrifice you all and you don't know if they did so on orders, am I reading between the lines right?" Giovanni asked as he turned and looked out at Viridian, keeping his face from Yuji so if he reacted he could hide it.

"Boss I can't tell you how it felt when that one brought that swarm onto my head! If I hadn't been in hard terrain and had a head start I would've been eaten by those things! Thankful I killed one of their leaders, oh yeah; they have a range that they need to be in for their minions to use their _attacks_ , that's how Brock survived too!" Yuji said as Giovanni nodded before he remembered he had turned his chair.

"I thought that the horned ones were having an affect based on their actions during their attack, but if they're not the highest caste in this swarm or whatever this grouping is." Giovanni muttered as he looked out at Viridian. _Of course she would send in some people buy did they have to try and kill Brock? The secret that causes them to kill people, he must have it but the observation I've had on him has shown nothing so either he just discovered what the secret is or he can hide a lot better than I think he can._ Giovanni thought as he made a decision and turned around. Before he could say anything Yuji looked straight at him and spoke.

"I saw something being carried by some of those things with hands, it might have been the leader of these things, and it looked like it was a dedicated breeder boss." Yuji said before Giovanni nodded at him.

"Yuji, go and get some rest for today, tomorrow I want you to go to the northern barriers and stand guard. The Gym will be closing our 'official' capacity until the Chimera are all dead. Tell Miranda to come in when you leave, I have a few notes for her to take for the announcement." Giovanni said causing Yuji to salute him and walk out the room, Miranda coming in after a minute carrying a small tablet.

"So, did Karin send forces from that source or regular Hunters?" Miranda asked as she brought up her clipboard and looked at Giovanni, who only looked at her with a 'what did you think' look.

"Yuji said that they tried to kill both himself and Brock, but the why was to save their own skins. I so doubt that. Have the watchers on Brock increased if he survives the coming days, I want to know if he does anything that different. And the other two who came, a teacher and student who practice a martial arts that's had a small dojo, I want to know anything you can find about them." Giovanni commanded as Miranda nodded and tipped down his commands.

"And commander Sham is ready to report sir, shall I have her call by phone or should it be in the command post?" Miranda asked as Giovanni looked at her.

"Just have her send in a summery; I can get the details later. But what about any other _defenders_ that held back the swarm; were there any useful prospects?" Giovanni asked as Miranda smiled at him.

"A few of the gangs tried to run, but a surprising number stood their ground and held the line as it were. Most of the leadership ran or escaped the city and the few survivors are being gathered up by a group with a star as an insignia of all things." Miranda said as Giovanni looked thoughtful. _I thought that more of those people would stay and fight, but then true cowards always run away. Wait…. Why did the police let?_ Giovanni thought as he sat up and looked at Miranda with an intense look.

"Why did the gangs even have to do that, I would think that the police would have tried to hold off the Chimera. No no, please don't tell me." Giovanni said dryly as Miranda looked down and called up a report and frowned as she read what was on her tablet.

"One of the police Captains held the forces that were supposed to make the barrier there back, they only made it there a few seconds before the attack hit. The excuse was he had been given a tip that a few of the gangs were going to ambush them when they got there, something about not believing that the Chimera would attack and thinking it was an excuse to attack them." Miranda said as she looked up with a frown on her face, her words caused Giovanni to frown and turn his chair around, looking out at Viridian as his thoughts raced. _So now we know one of their people in the police or someone who was that stupid! I don't know what I want to be true; of course this would happen during an assault on the town._ Giovanni thought as he stared out the window before coming to a decision.

"Butch and Cassidy are still on standby for their mission, aren't they? Until the travel ban is lifted I want them to check on the gangs with a full loadout, but tell them to keep out of sight but be ready to help them out if any of the local law enforcement decides to make trouble; that Captain especially, tell them to take all of their Pokémon with them. And I want that captive brought in and interrogated, heavily. And have a closure announcement ready, one of the Siege ones we prepared, surprise me which one you use." Giovanni ordered as Miranda nodded to him.

Music from drums and flutes were being played as the sun shined down on the people. People were lining up along the road, watch as a parade moved towards the dock. Flower petals drifted down among the people lining the procession, at the front were four female Pyroar's with golden headdress on pulling a float with a raised dais on it with a woman in a formal white dress wearing a gold head dress and a mask with gems stones around the face while she held a raised scepter decorated with rubies. All that could be seen of the woman wearing the mask were her bare arms and the beads in her hair. Behind the float were twenty women in white dress and headdresses danced holding large fans with the symbol of the domain on them as soldiers with spears held upright moved behind the float moved towards dock. Behind the float were people holding poles holding up regal looking boxes, each one had pictograms of Pokémon that lived in the Domain on them and behind the people holding them were men and women in black cloaks with swords in sheaths on their back marching with male Pyroars on both sides and above them flew Flygon trailing streamers from their tails. And finally behind them was High Caster Zubair on a floating platform in his best robes and holding a book with red, blue and brown in a triangle formation.

Zubair waved as he floated towards the dock with a grand smile on his face but on the inside he was cursing up a storm. _Why did that idiotic marshal have to have family in the Rest, why couldn't it have been around the Peak that had been where the attack happened? And of course I'll have to deal with_ _ **her**_ _when we get there._ Zubair thought as he waved at the crowd lining the street with people on the roof tops looking down at the precision with awe.

"Keep it up Zubair old bean, this bit of theater is so no one knows where the girl is, so grit and bare it." He muttered to himself as he looked towards the end of the precision and saw a large ship waiting at the docks. It had golden sails and paddles ten feet above the water and there was one every ten feet for a total of ten of them. The ship itself was about fifty feet high and one hundred feet long with a golden Rayquaza at the front with a silver Latios on each side of it. The bridge was located thirty feet behind the golden Rayquaza and was a single story with wide windows on the sides.

He grinned as the procession stopped and the woman on the front float stood up as the music stopped and walked down from her throne as the platform he was on moved towards her float and stopped in front of her, he bowed and she nodded at him before she stepped onto it and he willed it to float higher as the people carrying trunks moved towards the ship.

"Ready to start acting my dear?" Zubair asked as the woman waved at the crowd of people below them.

"Are you ready to meet you're would be lover again Caster boy?" The woman asked with a soft spoken voice. Zubair fought back a wince and knew she had scored a point with that comment.

"Not really but we all have to do our part _High Lord._ " Zubair said causing the woman to chuckle and the gems on the mask started to glow.

"MY PEOPLE! I DEPART FROM OUR WONDERFUL CITY TO VIST EACH ONE OF OUR SISTER CITIES, TO MAKE THE BONDS OF OUR DOMAIN THAT MUCH TIGHTER AND OUR BONDS THAT MUCH SURERE! I SHALE BE BACK WHEN I HAVE FINISHED VISITING EACH OF THE GREAT CITIES! UNTIL I RETURN MY SENSCHAL SHALE PROTECT YOU ALL, MAY I RETURN TO A CITY THAT IS MUCH MORE RADIANT THEN WHEN I LEAVE IT!" Lady Cleo Ro Clor's voice came from the woman and projected to all the people who responded with cheers as the music started up again. Zubair willed the platform to move towards the boat and landed on the deck. From the ship away from the people a man in a blue uniform with a white vest and gloves with a black hat walked towards them and bowed to them.

"Lady Cleo Ro Clor, High Caster Zubair, I am the First Officer, Jonathan Glor. The captain has ordered me to bring you to your rooms, the ship is to depart once the last of the cargo has been loaded on board." Jonathan said as he looked up from his bow. Zubair wordlessly cast a spell that poked Cleo's back and she jolted in place.

"Thank you, you may rise. Please give the captain our regards once you have finished." The masked woman said as Jonathan straightened up and saluted her.

"By your will, High Lord." He said as he turned and led the way towards a two story structure built into the main mast. They walked down a staircase and she looked about and kept quit, the real Lady Cleo had gone on this ship once before and it wouldn't do for her to ask questions that _she_ might have asked once before. _I should have talked to her more about this, I should have asked what she did the last time she was on this ship but live, learn and deal with the problems you find or make as the old man used to say._ She thought as she looked up and saw that Jonathan had stopped before a set of double doors.

"Here is your suite sir and madam, the room to the left is for the High lord and the right is yours High Caster. I will be back just after five to get you both for supper and the captain wishes that you enjoy your stay." Jonathan said as he bowed and opened the door to a chamber with a diamond chandelier and a large TV in front of a couch and paintings of desert Pokémon in a blocky style on the walls. The two people walked into the room and Zubair threw a crystal sphere upwards and when it started to float he shot it with an energy bolt that caused the crystal to release a pulse that caused a few places around the room to emit smoke and he sighed as he walked to one and pulled it up revealing a small microphone.

"More of the same, when will we be done with finding some of his old tricks." Zubair said as _Cleo_ walked towards him and looked down.

"More of that old spymaster's work; what you didn't check the last time?" _Cleo_ asked only for Zubair to sigh.

"Last time it was for that plague after she was in office for only a weak, I think you joined up a month after didn't you? Now I go and make sure the ring is ready for supper, make sure you don't order anything _your_ allergic to." Zubair said as _Cleo_ laughed and rubbed her head.

On the opposite side of the city from the docks Asim waited for Cleo and sighed as the music from near the water and the parade was heard as he read from a hand held device. He stood in the shadow of a rock as two Flygon with saddles on dozed in the sun. He glared at them with a look of anger as one raised its wing to shade its friend and he cursed.

"Damned idiots, why couldn't the local Protectors have dealt with this and kept the kids inside the town, when I get there heads will roll." He muttered as he finished reading the last report and couldn't believe the sheer stupidity that he had seen, the 'Rest was at the near absolute limit of the Great River side channel and the only people who really went out were explorers looking for new resources from the Aura Surges in the deep desert or people hunting ruins but the Rest was supposedly a place that was peaceful, if a new gang was growing then he would have words with the leader of the Protectors there. _I know the last Chimera horde was destroyed half a year ago on the other side of the Domain but that's no excuse for laziness! I will be having words with them before I'm done if I'm right about them!_ He thought as he just sat there and fumed as he tried to think of any other reason that might account for what he was seeing.

"A problem boss Asim?" A voice asked causing him to turn and see a woman with tan skin and short white hair. She was dressed in a simple white top and pants with sandals on her feet and three Pokéball on her waist. A marshal badge was on her right shoulder and she had a black headband around her forehead with a white gemstone on it.

"Nothing more than the freaking reality of this tells me that I have got to look into all the Protector branches with a fine tooth comb. Something like this would never have been allowed to happen at any of the major cities, unless standards are a low looser at the frontier." Asim said with a scowl that shocked Cleo. _He wouldn't say such things unless he really believes that, what has happened to my land?_ Cleo thought as she squared her shoulders and looked at Asim and spoke with a hard tone to her voice.

"How bad is it Marshall?" She asked, not as a young girl going with her superior to do their job but as the High Lord of a Domain. He looked at her and felt a trace of pride for how she was acting, seeing what his old friend had seen when he made her the High Lord and why he had decided to stay and work with her.

"It's bad enough that I can't see how it could have happened in any of our towns! I mean a possible Devourer is the best answer they have, where could they have come from? I can't wait until I get there and can start shaking out the truth for this. I mean throwing Devourer actions out because they don't have better answer?" Asim said as he passed the reader to her and she looked it over and frowned, noting that the attack was within the range of the protection spell to keep wild Pokémon away and the strength of the spell, at least the reported strength.

"I think it's a good thing that my mask isn't rated as a Caster, this way I can walk around and take a few shadow readings, but if a Pokémon did this where did it come from?" She asked as she handed back the reader and he sighed.

"I can't answer that, and they reacted by turtling up. So if there was something hunting out there it's had time to learn where it could hide or found a new den. And that's not talking about how there's been enough time for nature to hide any tracks it might have left." Asim said as Cleo looked down and frowned at something in the file.

"And why those kids were out there is really flimsy, think their hiding something?" Cleo asked only for Asim to snort.

"Of course they're hiding something my lady! Another reason that I'm happy my brother has his family there, I can ask my neice and nephew about any of the local rumors." Asim said with a slight grin on his face as he walked towards the two Flygons, Cleo following behind him.

"Still how long will it take to get there by Flygon?" Cleo asked as Asim started to chuckle lightly.

"Oh a day or two for sure, I think we'll sleep at this rest stop at one of the smaller oasis tonight, if I remember right we should get there by supper if we leave now." He said as they got on the Flygon and the Pokémon flapped their wings.

As her Flygon flew upwards she looked towards the dock and smiled, the ship was leaving and she was heading towards Sola's Rest. _Sorry about this, but I so need a few days to get back to my roots, do a little investigating and visiting one of the few frontier towns left I can't wait! And if one of my towns are falling behind in safety standards, I need to know, but still this will be fun._ Cleo thought as she smiled before flying after mount Asim.

"So that's all the food we'll need until we reach…?" Serena trailed off as Ash finished putting his portion of the supplies into his bag and looked at her with a grin. After they had returned to the Pokémon Center and changed back into their normal cloths, picked up their Pokémon and congratulated Lilly on winning her second Ribbon, Ash had volunteered to get supplies for the road and Serena had joined in. He had mentioned he had a few lessons he had learned on the road to share and she was ready to learn.

"It's not until we reach something Serena, it's how many days we can go without foraging in the wild, or how long we can make it last with what we gather from the land around us. That's what you need to learn to be a professional trainer and traveler!" Ash said with a chuckle. _Of course I won't say that I learned a lot about teaching someone how to travel from what I taught Iris, for all her thoughts that I was a kid she sure didn't know much about traveling. Guess those classes I took in the Orange Islands from Drake after I won really paid off over the years. Still why does Pikachu have to have such a sweet tooth?_ Ash thought as he looked at his starter who walked blissfully beside him.

"But why did you buy **three** bottles of Ketchup?" Serena asked as Pikachu perked up at this. Ash laughed and reached down and rubbed Pikachu's head.

"Let's just say you don't want to know what Pikachu is like when he goes cold turkey and leave it at that." Ash said as he led Serena out of the grocery, only to get a deadpan stare from her as he laughed at her reaction.

"Oh just wait until one of your Pokémon develops a favorite thing to eat then talk to me about it." Ash said with a smirk as they moved along the streets as Serena looked at him with an 'are you kidding me' look.

"Okay I'll grant you that I don't have the experience to talk about that but what else do you need to be a professional traveler as you called it?" Serena asked as she looked down at Pikachu. _I guess I can see that, if any of my team develop a favorite food then I might make sure we have it, but really does having a favorite food really….okay I guess if you think about it that might affect the what you carry while you're traveling._ Serena thought as she listened to Ash who

"There are four things in my book; point one you need to be able to defend yourself and a weapon, 'your blade could save your life'. Point two always have your Pokédex in scanner mode to notice if anyone published a warning or emergency quest, 'the life you save could be your own' as Professor Oak said to me once or twice. And point three; you should have or find a goal to work towards." Ash said as they reached a light and Ash suddenly stopped and looked around. Serena stopped and after a few seconds detected what Ash had, the sounds of a chase and after a few seconds she found the source, a girl with blond hair in waves that went to her shoulders in a white shirt and skirt was being chased by people in green jackets, in a bag around her waist a white Pichu pocked its head out and looked behind them, its checks sparking in alarm.

Serena gasped in shock when she got a good look at the girl and recognized her straight away. _That's! But why is she being chased, they couldn't know who she is; any gang would have a larger force if they knew who they were chasing._ Serena thought as she stared, not noticing Ash grinned as he turned to face her before frowning for a few seconds as he noticed the look in her eyes. _So I was right, she does have a few secrets that she doesn't want others to know. Well I have the Crown of the Sea and a few others, so I'm in no position to talk or have an issue but this is a perfect way to show the last point_. Ash thought before whistling sharply, when Pikachu and Serena looked at him he smirked and started to move parallel to the people chasing the girl, Serena following and Pikachu jumping onto Ash's back.

"And now for point four Serena, if you see something you think is wrong while you're traveling, don't be scared to stick your noise into anything that doesn't concern you if you think you should be involved!" Ash said as he started to speed up, Serena right behind him, a smirk growing on her face. _Hang on girl, you were the reason your brother saved us before, this time I'll save you. I just hope Ash doesn't ask how I know her; I don't think I want to explain why I was kidnapped before._ Serena thought as she for her nagitina on her back as she ran after Ash who was reaching for his sword as Pikachu started to spark.

"Don't worry Pichu, I won't let them take you!" The girl said as she ran. She turned her head and moved faster when she saw they were getting closer to her. Tears came out of her eyes as she went over what had caused this to happen to her. She and Pichu had just been going shopping to make some Poképuffs for her brother and his teammates when she noticed the two of them were being followed. She had turned and hadn't liked the way the men in green were looking at Pichu and had tried to runaway but they started to chase her, she could only run and hope she got away, she was too far away from her brothers territory for word of the chase to reach but it was the start of the both seasons and who would try anything, who was chasing her?

"Pic?" Her Pichu whimpered as it thought about how it could help its trainer.

"This little bitch is really making it a lot harder on herself then it has to be, isn't she?" One of the green teens asked his friend as they ran. His fellow grunted and drew forth a club and grinned at his friend.

"Give her a beating then take the Electric thing to sell on the open market, nice. And if we knock her out we can get even farther away before someone figures out what happened." He smirked at his friend who grunted back. _Might even bring the bitch with us, if we're rebuilding then we need new servants and teaching her a trade might do the whore some good._ He thought as he ran after her, a smirk forming on his face as he ran. He smirked as he watched the girl ran blindly and down a side alley that he knew was a dead end and felt a thrill, the chase was over time for the fun part.

As she ran down the alley she felt her face fall when she saw the brick wall in front of her. Turning around she saw the two people who had been chasing her. She angled her body so her bag was against the wall as the two entered the ally with smirks on their faces as one of them leered at her.

"Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. I was just going to take your Pichu but I think you'll be coming with us little girl." One of them said as the other started to snicker as they both drew forth two batons as they walked towards her. She covered against the wall as they walked closer, hoping something would stop them from hurting her and taking her partner.

"Pikachu, Thunder!" A Male voice called out behind the two and before they could turn.

"PIKACHU!" Something cried before a blast of electricity suddenly hit the pair and as they fell to the ground two figures dashed past them to stand in front of the girl they had been chasing. The girl looked up at a boy holding a sword with a Pikachu on his shoulder and a girl wielding a naginata with a Fennekin next to her who when she turned her head to look at the around she recognized the face!

"Serena!" The girl cried out is shock and smiled when she saw her. The boy looked back and smirked as he looked over the girl.

"So you do know her, something you want to tell me Rena?" The boy asked as Serena looked at him and the younger girl saw Serena wince a little.

"I'll tell you and the others everything latter Ash. Don't worry Hanna, we'll keep you safe." Serena said as she spun her naginata around and pointed it at the two gangers as they got to their feet. The two looked on as the gangers looked down and one of them snarled.

"I don't know who you two are but if you don't want problems you'd better stand aside and give us the brat behind you!" One of them snarled as Ash merely looked at them and his Pikachu sparked from its trainer's shoulder.

"Let a girl be taken by two people of unknown belief and from what I've seen is completely against my morals, please you must think I was born yesterday. And bashing goons is something I love to do." Ash said as the gangers growled and one of them looked at him with an inquisitive look.

"We're with the Buzz Lords, you don't wanna mess with us!" One of the gangers snarled as Hanna huddled behind Serena and whimpered.

"Oh the Buzz Lords hu? I thought I destroyed you all when I raided your headquarters back in Santalune City." Ash said dryly and Hanna looked up at him as the two gangers stared at Ash and looked shocked.

"THAT WAS YOU?!" One the gangers cried as they both looked at each other and started to laugh.

"Real funny brat. There's no way, lets show him what we think of jokers Heracross let's fight!" The other ganger cried as threw a Pokéball that released a strong looking Heracross that took a step forward.

"Durant go!" The other cried as he released a steel Bug type. Serena looked a little concerned before Ash just reached over with his free hand and squeezed her shoulder.

"Serena you and Fennekin handle the Durant, Pikachu attack Heracross with Iron Tail!" Ash said as Pikachu jumped off his shoulder and shot at the Heracross, spinning to slam a steel grey colored tail into it, sending it flying backwards and hit the ganger and sent him backwards out of the alley, Pikachu charging after them. Ash shot Serena a smirk before he ran after Pikachu and slammed his shield at the other ganger who dodged and followed after Pikachu who shot a bolt of electricity at the ganger and his Heracross, send them away from the alley. Serena took a deep breath and looked at the ganger before her. _This time he's going down, not me!_ Serena thought as she gripped her weapon tighter as Hanna held onto her legs.

"Fennekin use Ember!" Serena called as she looked at the Durant as Fennekin started to inhale before it shot small orange sparks at the Durant, scoring hits at on it.

"Durant, use Vice Grip!" The ganger cried and the Iron Ant Pokemon shot straight at the Fire-Type with its mandibles open as Fennekin stood to meet its charge. Serena dodged to the side, pulling Hanna with her before she barked a command.

"Dodge it then Ember!" Serena called out. Fennekin dodged at the last second and shot more orange sparks as it was in the air, hitting the Durant on its back, causing it to stumbled and hit the wall. _I can do this, just keep my eyes on the trainer and Pokémon to keep them from checkmating me and this time I won't go down_. Serena thought as she looked at the ganger and noticed he looked like he was considering running after Ash and she knew what she had to do.

"Hanna, Fennekin follow me, but stay back a bit Hanna, and once we stop use Ember again Fennekin. HIIIYAH!" She cried as she ran at the gang and sliced down at him with the flat of her naginata's blade!

Ash heard the sound s of combat behind him as Pikachu kept up blasting at Heracross as its trainer finally made some space between him and his Pokémon and looked at Ash' sword and shield and looked down at his baton and cursed. _I need something with more power, something bigger._ He thought as he looked around and saw a pipe on the ground and looked back towards Ash and smirked.

"Heracross, use Megahorn!" He cried as he lunged for the pipe. His Heracross shot at Pikachu with its glowing horn.

"Dodge it using Agility to get away then use Thunder!" Ash called as he dodged to the side. Pikachu shot straight at Heracross and dodged around it to before sending massive bolt of electricity at the Heracross but it turned around with its glowing horn and absorbed the electricity. The ganger looked up with the pipe in his hand and saw Pikachu on the side across from its trainer and saw his chance. _Perfect, the punk had to have heard about what happened to the base, there's no way our luck is that bad. I just have to knock out the punk and then use him to make the bitch give up! I just need to keep the Pikachu away from us!_ He thought as he looked

"Close Combat!" He called as he ran at Ash with the pipe raised to bash in his head. Ash looked and met the blow with his shield as the Heracross charged at Pikachu who dodged its blows. Ash moved backwards and slashed at the pipe with the flat of his blade and the ganger barely held on to it. Ash slammed out with his other arm and tried to hit him with a shield bash but the man dodged it. _He's not too bad, but he's a thug only. I need to either hold him off until Serena beats hers or scare him off._ Ash thought with a smirk as he slashed at

"Pikachu, get back and use Electro-Ball!" He called out as he pressed in on and tried to get the pipe out of his opponent's hands. Pikachu jumped backwards and started to form an eclectic ball on its tail that he threw at the Heracross. The ball hit the Bug Type and blast the Pokémon backward and it fell far behind its trainer who had moved backwards to get out of range of Ash's blade. He looked down at his Heracross and looked back towards Ash and Pikachu as the two of them moved towards them, both inching forward slowly as he looked back at the two of them and looked beyond them towards the alley and cursed. The ganger thought as he looked at his Heracross who got back to its feet and looked at Ash with a scowl on his face. _I gotta wait for him to beat that girl and get at the punk from behind, that's all I can do now!_ The ganger thought as he looked at his opponents.

"Focus Blast!" He cried as he looked about for anything to throw at Ash.

Serena sliced down with her naginata and the ganger dodged backwards as she tried to get him. He dodged and threw his baton at her and grabbed a trashcan lid to defend himself with.

"Flash Cannon that thing you idiot!" He screamed as he blocked Serena's weapon. Serena turned and saw the Durant against the end of the alley and _she saw Hanna right behind Fenniken_! She grabbed Hanna and pulled her against the far wall of the alley before barking a command.

"DODGE IT!" Serena screamed out, but Fenniken had seen what Serena had and planted its feet between Durant and both Serena and Hanna and waited for the blast. Durant opened its mandibles and shot a steel grey blast of energy at Fenniken who waited and suddenly a turquoise force field appeared in front of it, blocking the blast. Serena stared in shock at what had happened, wondering what her Pokemon had done.

"That was Protect. Quick, the Durant might be weak, a few more attacks and you've won!" Hanna said as she pulled at Serena's shirt. _She's right; this could be my chance to finish this!_ Serena thought as she looked at the ganger before barking a command.

"Ember, keep it up!" Serena called as she spun her naginata and stabbed forward at the ganger. He blocked with the lid as his Durant tried to get its energy back before Fenniken shot an Ember attack straight at its face, knocking the Bug type to the ground. The ganger just looked at Fenniken and swiftly raised his Pokéball with his free hand and recalled his Pokémon and turned to ran out the Alley. Serena dashed at him and brought the other end of her weapon down on his head, knocking him out. Serena breathed heavily as she looked down at the ganger as Hanna started to hug her as Fenniken came back to prance around its trainer.

"You did it Serena, you both did it!" Hanna said with a laugh as she finally relaxed.

"Pichu!" Hanna's Pichu cried out in joy from the bag.

"Fenniken, Fenn!" Fenniken cried out as it celebrated their victory. Serena looked around and tried to find anything to hold the ganger down and gave up after a while

"Hanna, stay with me and keep an eye out behind us, Fenniken go help Pikachu!" Serena said as Fenniken bounded out of the alley, the rest of them right behind it.

Ash watched as Pikachu dodged the blows of the Heracross and raised an eyebrow when orange sparks flew by him and hit the Bug type. He looked to the side and saw Fenniken charge past him to stand next to Pikachu. He looked over his shoulder to see Serena and the girl they had come to help come out of the alley and Serena joined Ash with her weapon pointed at the last ganger who grew angry as he realized what had happened. _That weakling lost against her?! I need to get out of here, the hell with collateral!_ He thought as he looked at

"HERACROSS, EARTHQUCK!" He bellowed as he grabbed for his Pokéball. Heracross slammed a glowing fist down against the ground before shaking started and bricks fell from the buildings around them. Ash dropped his sword and grabbed Serena and Hanna and pulled them to him and put his shield above them as Pikachu started to jump about and used Iron Tail to slam anything that he thought might hit the humans. The ganger recalled his Pokémon and ran away, leaving his fellow to his fate. Serena felt the shaking stop and blushed when she realized she was pressed against Ash who had reacted to save her….and Hanna of course.

"You okay Serena?" Ash asked as she turned her head to look at him and Hanna peaked out and made a noise, causing the others to turn and see two police officers running towards them with looks of anger on their faces. Ash sighed as he realized he was going to be blamed for something again. _I hope I'm not arrested again, that's always so hard to handle for them when they realize I was just defending myself._ Ash thought before the police reached them.

Ash looked as the officers put the one ganger into their car and drove off. When the police had arrived they had been full of anger, thinking Ash had been part of an unofficial battle that had ignored all the safety rules but when Hanna had piped up that he and Serena had saved her from people trying to kidnap her and steal her Pichu they had changed their tune. The ganger in the alley and been taken into custody and once they realized he was a Buzz Lord they that had grabbed him and forgot all about Ash and Serena. As they drove off a minute after the ganger was in their car Ash just shook his head.

"Why do I have the feeling that those aren't the best and brightest?" Ash asked with a slight scowl on his face as Hanna just sighed. Serena looked a little conflicted having come to this town a few times and year and never had any problems but she and her mother had only been here a day or two at most.

"Brother says they care more about appearance then actually doing their job, but most people around here have learned to live with it and help each other." Hanna said as Serena looked at Hanna and took her hand and Ash started to lead the way back towards the main part of town.

"And I bet you never leave the area where you can get help easily then." Ash said dryly as Hanna nodded and Pichu dropped its head back into her bag and came out holding a damaged Pokégear.

"PICHU!" Pichu said as it revealed what it had brought out. Hanna laughed and tapped her fingers together and looked away.

"I could usualy call for help but my gear broke and there was a sale at the farmers market today and well." Hanna said as Ash just chuckled and looked at her.

"It's about lunch time, you two want to get something to eat somewhere, I'm sure you know where the best restaurants around here are?" Ash said, not noticing Serena fighting down a blush.

"Thanks but I gotta get home, my brother is terrible around the kitchen and I wouldn't trust him not to burn the house down without me." Hanna said as she ran off. Serena looked after her and Ash gave out a small sigh and looked at Serena with a smirk.

"So what's her connection to those Street Racers, I never figured that part of this thing out." Ash said as Serena jolted and looked at him in shock.

"How did you know?" Serena asked as she looked at Ash.

"I've dealt with a lot of people on my journey, solved a few mysterious along the way. You learn to read people after a while. You reacted when you saw her, a look that told me you know her, the connection to the racers was a guess, but given the Pichu and one of the groups ride Electric Pokémon is seemed logical." Ash said as Serena looked at him in wonder.

"It's a complicated story and it's not one I'd like to talk about where people can overhear us, maybe when we're on the road?" Serena said with a small smile, which grew when Ash nodded.

"You can tell me or not tell me, I just want to know if whoever she tells about what we did might cause trouble for us." Ash said as he started to lead Serena back towards the Pokémon Center.

"No, he won't cause any trouble at all for us, might stop us as we're leaving town to thank us but he won't trouble us." Serena said as she followed Ash, looking towards where Hanna had gone and hoped for the best.

Hanna ran through the town, a small smile on her face. _It was great to see Serena again, and Ash was so cool! I hope brother isn't to mad about what happened, I should have taken someone with me but this place is usually perfectly safe if I leave his territory._ Hanna thought as she ran. After a while she finally made it back to her 'neighborhood' she moved towards her home, heading towards the abandoned industrial sector she stopping before a two story tall wall and opened the door and entered a small courtyard with a medium sized Pokémon battlefield by a lake and a modest two story block house near a one story tall factory. The factory had reflective panels on it and she noticed a few Magnemite floating here and there by the panels. She looked about and noticed a teen with pale skin and short black hair in a white vest over a black shirt and black pants was tinkering with something that looked like a saddle that would fit against something round.

"Hi Amp, do you know where my brother is?" Hanna asked as Amp turned and whipped his forehead and smiled down at her.

"Should be in the main hall looking at where the next race will be and trying to choose who to send to it. Man can you believe the first one was straight through town? I can't wait to see how this season will go!" Amp said as he laughed as he looked down at her and frowned when he noticed a few scoff marks on her cloths. _She wants to see the boss, that means something happened. What happened to our little mascot, none of those bastards better have better tried to hurt her!_ He thought as he looked at her and gained a scowl on his face.

"What happened to you while you were out there?" Amp said with a blunt as he looked at her. Hanna just looked at him and laughed lightly as she tried to move away, only to stop when Amp reached out and grabbed her arm. She looked at him and just smiled shakily at him and that was when he knew that something had happened that would make the boss mad.

In a room in the blockhouse a TV showed the Rhyhorn track and a highlight from the charity race and a laugh was heard from a figure sitting at a table near a fridge. The person who was laughing was a teen about sixteen years of age who was wearing a black shirt and pants and a white trench coat was on the back of the chair he was sitting on. He had short blond hair and blue eyes that shinned with laughter as the TV Showed Lyn accepting a golden trophy as a green wreath with purple flowers was on her head.

"Man o man, I am so happy that Saint-Julia won this, that scum Keanu was so sure he'd win when I ran into him a few days ago." He laughed as a low chuckle caused him to look to the side and see a woman about his age with long platinum hair that went to the small of her back dressed in a tight black shirt, white elbow gloves and black pants. She had on crimson lipstick and yellow eye shadow and looked at him with her right eye closed.

"Happy that you're would be rival might have a hard time this year Bolt?" She asked only for him to send a laugh back at her.

"Beat, the day that fool is worthy to clean up after the Rhyhorns will happen before I pay an attention to that scum. And after all the trouble he gave us in the off season I want him to hurt." Bolt said as Beat only sighed as she rubbed her right wrist as she remembered the battle they had with Keanu and his muscle, she had to admit her boss was right about something. _Personally I would have loved for him to have been thrown out of Kalos, but hey pain's good too._ Amp thought as she leaned against the wall and watched the news move onto the next story, the words 'Chimera in Kanto' coming up on the screen as the door slammed open and Amp walked in with Hanna following behind him

"Het little sis, good shopping trip….okay what happened?" Volt asked as Hanna rushed at him and hugged his. He looked down at his sister and patted her head and looked up at Amp who sighed.

"The kid was chased by remnants of the Buzz Lords before two people saved her, and get this. One of them was that girl who was captured with Hanna the last time!" Amp said causing Volt to start to feel rage as Hanna buried her head into his body. Beat just stared in total shock at what she had heard and looked at the younger girl in sorrow. _Why the hell do things like this have to happen to the kid, I mean she helps out around here and takes treats she makes to the orphanage every week and this keeps happening to her at least once every few months!_ Beat though as Volt rubbed Hanna's back before looking at Beat.

"Beat, go and tell Pulse I need to talk to her, Amp take Hanna to get something to eat." Volt said as Amp shepherded Hanna away towards the kitchen. Beat turned towards Volt and crossed her arms.

"Let me guess, send out the drones to find where those scum are and strike once they leave the city?" Beat asked and smirked when Volt nodded. _Good, the boss is smart enough to plan before acting, another reason why I follow him._ Beat saluted and walked out into the yard and moved towards the factory, a smirk on her lips as she fantasized about what they would do to the Buzz Lords once they found them.

"I can't thank you enough for making sure my boy was okay after he was hit by that 'needle girl, you ever come round these parts again you stop and visit us, ya hear me!" A grief voice said as Nimue vision started to darken. _At least I got away from the island before I died._ Nimue thought before she heard a voice clearing.

"Dear, I would let her go before we have to resuscitate her." A voice said before Nimue suddenly found herself back on her own feet. She breathed deeply for a few seconds before looking towards a laugh and glared at Loïc as the boy rubbed his head sheepishly will next to him a girl about nine years old with dark skin like him but gray hair in two fluffy buns on the side of her head in a teal shirt and a black skirt bowed to Nimue as a woman in green dress and shoes with dark skin and short grey hair looked pained as she watched. Nimue turned towards the man who had hugged her, a man in a blue coat, shirt and pants with black hair who laughed as Nimue looked up at him.

"Sorry lass, but really I can't say how much I appreciate you getting my boy to the Center." The man said as Nimue finally got her breath back and straighten up.

"Yeah Mr. Archibald I get it. But really your son tried to save my life before that…thing attacked us." Nimue said Archibald looked over at his son before sighing. _Can't believe that there really are things, but what are they. I need to contact Jenny over in Santalune, if one of them goes towards the city I don't know what we'd do._ He thinks as he watches his kids talk with Nimue as she finished gather up what she had dropped when he had hugged her.

"Well thank you for dinner last night, Mr. Archibald, Miss Martine. I haven't had a meal like that in a long time." Nimue said as she looked at the family. Martine smiled at Nimue and she hid a bad feeling she had. _This girl is running from something, she's hiding a lot but I don't think she's done anything wrong._ Martine thought as she looked at the teen.

"We'll cheer for you on the contest circuit, I hope you'll make it to the Grand Festival sis!" The younger girl said as Loïc.

"And you got our numbers in that gear o yours girl? I expect you to call us if you ever see us as a near contact!" Archibald said with a smile on his face as Nimue looked at the family with a smile on her face.

"Thank for the encouragement Mackenzie and I will Mr Archibald, goodbye!" Nimue said as she walked away from the family and headed towards Route 21. As Archibald watched her go he frowned as he saw the look in his wife's eyes and grabbed her shoulder, causing her to look at him as he brought his head closer to talk without letting their children overhear.

"You think she's running to, don't you?" He asked as he felt her tense up. She sighed and nodded as she leaned against him.

"I can't see her having done anything illegal, abuse?" She asked him softly only to tense when he snorted.

"She's _strong_ so no I'd worry about anyone who tries to do that to her. I think it might have been lies she running from. Whatever she's running from, she's going it alone." Archibald said with a sigh as he looked after the Water Trainer.

Nimue looked over her shoulder as she left the hamlet and sighed. _Those people were very friendly, I wish I could have stayed their longer, but I can't._ _ **They**_ _might find me if I stay in one place to long, I need to keep moving and get enough money together to get out of this region, maybe Alola or someplace by the water._ Nimue thought as she walked along the path and sighed. She looked up and stared in awe at the blue sky and laughed.

"Just walking under the free blue sky is so amazing. In the caves it was always so dark or a pale light was the only source we had. This world is wonderful, that's why they call the day we enjoy the present; it's a gift." She said as she listened to the songs of birds and the wind through the tress. _I'm so glad I decided to start my journey over here, it was hard learning to survive on my own but I'm glad I did what I did. Still my escape could have been better planned._ Nimue said as she rubbed her right side and felt a small scar she had gained during her flight from her former home.

She looked upwards and gazed on the road and smiled. The one thing she would never get use to was all the colors, back at her home there were only shades of blue, black and grey. The green and colors of the plants were wonderful, she wouldn't tire of them before she died, and that was something she was completely sure of. As she turned the corner she stopped in her tracks as stared at what she was seeing, not sure if her eyes weren't playing tricks on her.

Ahead of her was a truck on its roof with its back doors cut open, she stared for a few seconds as she looked around. _This has to be for a TV or movie set, right, this can't be real…it's real!_ She thought as she stared at the scene before she ran towards it, throwing out two of her Pokeballs as she ran, her Goldduck and Samurott appearing and running after her as they rushed towards the truck. She reached for her Pokégear and Archibald's number and quickly dialed, glancing into the back and seeing an empty space she moved past it, stopping when she was able to see into the front cab and saw two people passed out upside down.

"Didn't expect to from you so soon lass, what…." Archibald began before she inturpted him

"I found a truck upside down, two people are in it and something cut the back door off!" Nimue said in a rush as her two Pokémon took up flanking positions as she looked at the two people and tried to see if they were still breathing.

"What the….Lass stay right there I'll be there soon with help!" Archibald said as he hastily hung up. Nimue looked around and looked towards the bridge, hoping that the river didn't feed into the same water system that she had fought the Chimera in. She heard a low moan and looked in the window and saw the driver was coming to and he looked around, seeing her he cranked open the window and started to speak.

"The people….in the back." He whizzed out and she shook her head.

"There's only you two here." She said, he closed his eyes and passed back out. She thought she heard something behind her and turned around to face the forest, hoping nothing would attack them. A rustling in the bushes caused her to slowly stand and look towards where the sound had come from and saw a Rattata pecking out from the bushes. She started to relax when she noticed something was _off_ with how the Rattata looked. She stared at it as her Pokémon gathered around her, ready to strike if it moved at them. The Rattata put its head away and Nimue relaxed as she heard the sounds of cars coming. She turned and saw three police cars pull up but winched when she saw a green truck park behind the police cars and a man carrying a camera get out. She winced as Archibald got out of one and rushed towards her with the others from the cars run towards the trapped officers. _They'll find out I'm still alive after all, I have to get stronger to stand against them, I won't be 'Cleansed of unworthy thoughts' I'd die for real first!_ Nimue thought as she recalled her two Pokémon, content to training harder than before to stay free.

"I guess no good deed goes unpunished after all." She muttered as Archibald reached her and looked at the truck.


	18. Chapter 18

Here's chapter 18 a month or so late, sorry but for a while it just wouldn't write itself. And a few RL problems that are still bothering me piled on and I need a new job as of last week and I hope to get the next chapter out as soon as I can, and on a related note I decided to drop the rating to T since the M stuff might not happen until the next book, I will put down if I do Lime or Lemon so yeah? On the pulse side while the creative juju was dry for this one I wrote three chapters for a project; a three way crossover project, three stories happening in the same 'world' and the same time, three fandoms woven together, hope you guy check them out and enjoy, the first chapter of the prime story goes up Saturday Night! Reuploaded this, had some mistakes I forgot about fixed version sorry.

Yuji sighed and stretched as he looked about the barricade. The way to Route had a wall between the plains and the city, people and Pokémon were patrolling the top of it, the gateway exit two eight wheeled trailers set in a triangle with the wall as the base with two people watching from both 'faces' of the resulting pyramid and he was based farther back with the city proper near the base. So far there hadn't been anything to talk about, just a few hours of nothing but wild Pokémon running across the road and people from the outlying towns after the safety of the city. _I'll say this about Jenny; she really made a great plan in case of a new Siege. But it's true; the best guard shift is a boring one, when it's exciting that's when things are bad._ He thought as he looked over the barricade before turning his head to look at the mountains.

"Where did those two scumbags go, I mean did they become Chimera food?" He muttered under his breath as he looked up at the mountains and frowned. _What is that; am I seeing things?_ He thought as he reached down and brought up his binoculars and looked at the peak and frowned when he saw the mountain top wasn't covered with snow.

"The hell, did those things attack the Ice Pokémon up there and take em?" He muttered as brought down his binoculars and looked up with a frown on his face. _The snows gone, did the Ice type get away or were they food, this is really bad. I have to bring this up to the boss._ Yuji thought as he frowned. A few years back he and Salma had a mission to get a strain of berries from the top, a Quest that Giovanni had wanted to stay quit and the Ice Pokémon they had fought there had been led by a powerful Beartic, if the Chimera had defeated that pack!

"See something that's bothering you Yuji?" A familiar voice caused him to turn and smile when he saw Salma with a bow and quiver over her shoulder walking towards him. He smirked when he saw his friend and fellow Gym Trainer and looked at her as he passed her the binoculars.

"The snow and ice is gone from the mountain top." Yuji said flatly as Salma stared at him before grabbing the binoculars and staring at the mountain before dropping them and staring in shock.

"The pack leader brought a snow storm when it started to raid, if those things gain that power!" Salma said quietly in a rush as Yuji widened his eyes as his mind made a few connections he hadn't comprehended.

"What, you believe in the old wives tale how Chimera can take abilities from what they kill, why the League has declared that to be a lie, Chimera just mutate based on what attacks them or some secrete they have in their genes, everyone knows that." He said as Salma looked at him and scowled.

"Oh don't tell that freaking propaganda the League puts out, you've seen enough with me to know that's an Arceus spawned lie! We've got to tell the boss they might be dead, and tell the others what we think might have happened! If they've gained Ice moves they could cause a storm they could break any defense we could muster." Salma said as Yuji just sighed and nodded. _She's right about that, if an Ice Type Chimera horde could attack the city we would be in trouble. But the 'mutation rate' for Bug types is slow so maybe the follow up strike Brock has to put together might work._ Yuji thought with as he nodded at her. He looked at her and saw her start to shiver as she reached down and picked up his binoculars. Reaching out with it her hands she saw the concern in her eyes and sighed.

"What do you think are the odds we're looking at the start of a new siege?" Salma asked as he had to think about how bad everything had gotten so fast and with what he had learned on the way back he could see how it had happened but not the why.

"It's at least a horde of Chimera up there, but I think it'll have to beeak Viridian for it to be declared one." Yuji said causing her to laugh darkly as she shook her head.

"Yeah but I just can't understand where they came from, for such a force to have formed there would have to have been rumors at least but there was nothing before the sickness started, so where'd they come from?" Salma asked as Yuji tried to keep his face expressionless. _Riley_ _asked us to keep it quiet about what he told us, and after how that bastard tried to kill me I can understand why but this is Salma, she's had my back for years, I can't see her as one of them._ Yuji thought as he scratched his head and turned away he looked back at her when he heard her gasp, seeing her look at him with wide eyes.

"You know something, something you haven't told anyone don't you. Yuji, if it could save lives!" Salma said as Yuji cursed the fact she knew him and his tells. _I know that I can trust her but can I trust who she tells? Her sister, I could send her to her sister and let her and him decided if they tell her._ He thought as he looked at his friend. He was about to speak up when a cry came from one of the look outs on the trailer.

"CONVOY COMING IN!" A voice bellowed causing the two of them to look at each other for a few seconds.

"We're not finished with this!" Salma said before they both dashed between the trailers and she raised the binoculars to try and find it as Yuji called out.

"WHAT HAVE WE GOT?" He bellowed as he reached for Tauros's Pokéball as he prayed that

"IT LOOKS LIKE THE SOMEBODIES COMING IN, WAIT….THEY'RE MOVING FAST LIKE SOMETHING'S ON THEIR TAIL!" The lookout called as Yuji swore and looked at Salma who nodded as she reached for her Pokeballs and drew one.

"Let's Go Onix!" Salma cried as her Rock Pokémon appeared as she unslung her bow before she clambered up to Onix's horn and off they went. Yuji looked up as his own Pokémon appeared and dashed to it.

"Tauros, time to charge! You guys get ready to defend, we'll go see if we can help them, and get Jenny!" He called back to them Taruos started to follow after Salma and Onix.

"KEEP GOING, WE'RE ALMOST THERE!" The driver of the front wagon bellowed as he urged the horse faster before he looked back over his shoulder as he cursed how they had been tracked by those monstrosities. They had been making good time until some kind of wooden birds had attacked from the sun, firing blasts as they dived and destroying three wagons and wounding some of the passengers. They had started to try and defend themselves when blasts from behind them had announced more of the things that had caused them to run. The elders, their grandchildren and that healer girl had dropped back and started to fight as a rearguard, urging the others to run. Every wagon had grabbed the others and they had left them, something he still hated. _I hope the boss and his kin can handle it, but I gotta get these people to the City!_ He thought as he looked towards the city and saw two trainers, one on an Onix and the other on a Tauros coming towards them causing him to smile.

"BEHIND US, A REARGUARDS TRYING TO HOLD THEM OFF!" He bellowed to the trainers, hoping they would understand. The Onix moved past them and the Tauros rider shot him a thumb's up as he passed, causing him to release a sigh of relief. With help they would survive and people at the League would believe them without Viridian being attacked.

"Are Miss Holly and the others going to be alright mister?" One of the Flareblood hands children asked as he urged the horse to slow down as they reached Viridian. The driver frowned for a split second before he tried to reassure his passengers.

"Yeah, those stupid things won't be able to handle the bosses and help!" He said as he looked at the walls with a frown. _I know there's a sickness but why have the walls been manned? I don't like this, I really don't like this._ He thought as people came out to help them.

"Dodrio, Drill Peck that thing!" Leaf cried out as she dodged a strike from a Treeslasher and blocked a blow from another with her right shield. Before it could try and hit her Raticate bit it's other arm with glowing fangs and tor it from the body. Dodrio struck with its spinning becks at the other one and destroyed it. Leaf looked around the chaos of the battle and looked up at the circling _things_. The things were wood shaped birds with stone claws and beck, two green stones for eyes and leaves on its wings {[Treewing]}. They had shot at them with energy blasts before flying higher and diving down only to go back before getting down far enough to attack but otherwise, they only seemed to be trying to slow them down, something that had confused them before the others had caught up. She saw Edger attacking them with his spear and his Serperior striking out with its vines at any of the wood things that tried to get her trainer. A cry from her left caused Leaf to see Pakwa slashing away with two short swords as her Greninja watched her back. Leaf looked and saw two of the Treeslashers charge towards Pakwa and dashed towards her, her Pokémon following behind her as she lead the way, both of them ready to protect their trainer!

Meanwhile Jed slashed at a wooden centaur with his axe as his Blaziken kicked a wooden lupin like creature with a red flower on its back {[Red Woodhound]} into the air before Jed's Hounddoom blasted it with fire that was absorbed into its flower before the lupine shot a blast of red colored energy at Houndoom! Houndoom dodged the blast as the Red Woodhound landed back on the ground and shot at Houndoom, two red colored vines shot out and struck at the Dark-Fire type and hit it as the Red Woodhound shot past and tried jumped at Blazekin, its mouth open when a blast of water slammed into it! It landed to the left of Blazekin when suddenly its head was sliced off by Kimi's scythe! Jed had cut the chest of the centaur off its lower body while his Pokémon had fought the Red Woodhound and saw what had happened and looked at her as she panted.

"Thanks Fallsbloom." He said as he looked at the downed wolf monster and frowned when he thought he saw one of its legs twitch.

"Nothing to it, gramss would hate if her favorite hate target died without her being responsible. Kimi said as she looked at the fallen centaur and could have sworn she saw the parts start to spasm. Both of them moved in an instint, Jed slamming his axe down and through the flower and body and Kimi slashing through the center of the torso as all three parts started to move. Both of them backed up as cords shot out from the severed part of the centaur's lower body, both trainers and Pokémon trying not to let the cables touch them.

"What in the name o the creator?! Chimera don't do this thing, you take off the head the body dies, that the same with anything that lives!" Jed spat as he gripped his axe tighter as Kimi looked around and tried to see what was on the ground and dead, hoping to understand. A growl from Houndoom caused her to look at the Red Woodhound's body as it disintegrated and a stray thought from her subconscious came to her, pieces of knowledge making connections that causing her to pale in freight.

"What if they're not _alive_? What if they have a different source of….mobility, reproduction?" She asked as Jed started to pale as well, suddenly their attack on them becoming that more vile and evil as he made his own connections.

On another side of the battle Isa slashed with her blade bow and notched an arrow and sent it at one of the five circling Treewings, hitting the head but doing nothing to bring it down as her Breloom spun around, its tail glowing steel gray at a Treeblaster as her Drapion slashed at a Treegrabber's tentacles as it attacked them. Isa slashed off the Treegrabber's head and the body stumbled backwards and then tentacles shot out of the wound and grabbed her weapon. She struggled as she tried to break fly as she wondered how she could keep her team alive. _What the hell are these things, I cut off their heads and they keep coming!_ She thought before someone slashed through the headless Treegrabber's body. She saw Chogan with his sickles and looked on as the Treegrabber disintegrated as his Zoroark watched his back.

"So, got any idea what we're fighting?" Chogan asked as he trilled his sickles as he looked upwards at the circling Treewings. Isa huffed as she looked upwards and suddenly the fact that they were circling suddenly seem _wrong_ in a way she wasn't conscious about. Suddenly a _need_ to get away from them was taking over her, a _need_ to get away from these things. She looked over his shoulder and pushed him to the side as a Treeslasher's arms came down where he had been standing a second ago and she barked a command.

"Breloom, Leach Seed that thing, rapid fire!" Isa snarled prompting Breloom to spit four seeds at the Treegrabber, three of which hit and sprouted roots that wrapped around its arms and neck. As the seeds started to glow the Treegrabber took a step and started to decompose before their eyes. She shot a look at her Drapion suddenly formed a Protect over them as leaf shaped energy blasts hit it. Looking up she saw three of the Treewings angling at them as the last two hovered and beet their wings at them firing leaf shaped blasts. As the Treewings curled their bodies to attack the Protect with their claws, she and Chogan tried to weather the attacks, looking about she saw Treeslashers turn to look at them. _What made us…the Leach Seed, that's it we're a definite threat so they decided to attack us, how could they communicate without talking?_ Isa wondered as she gripped her bow.

"Breloom, Leach Seeds on the flying things! Drapion keep up the Protect! Chogan I need you to help me handle those things!" Isa said as she nocked an arrow and aimed at one of the charging Treeslasher. Chogan spun his sickles as he started to smile wickedly as he watched three of creatures charge at them.

"Agility Night Daze, nice and close Zoroark!" He barked. His Zoroark glowed blue as it charged at the Treeslashers and stopped amongst them. Before they could react it started to glow crimson and raised its arms above its head before it slammed them down and released a sphere of crimson energy that destroyed the Treeslashers. As Zoroark recovered from the move it was hit with leaf shaped energy blasts from the two hovering Treewings. As it recovered Chogan speed by it and sliced off the head of a Treeslasher that had tried to get Zoroark from behind, after he slashed the head off he dashed to the right and came up infront of his Zoraoak as four tentacles burst form the Treegrabber's severed neck. _Where do we have to hit these things to take them down?_! He thought as he slashed out with his sickles as he lunged at the headless Treegrabber.

Yuji stared as his Tauros crested the hill and he looked down at the battle before him, shocked that what the people and Pokemon fighting weren't the Chimera! He watched as two wooden birds fire the blasts of leaf shaped energy at a Zoroark as three others attacked someone under a Protect as an old woman in blue hair with twin swords rampaged as a Greninja followed her and struck at what looked like mobile wooden men with claws or a tentacle arm while a blond with a Raticate and Dodrio with two shields on her arms blocked the energy blasts from a wooden man with a cannon for an arm. A Blazekin and a Poliwhirl fought back to back as an old man with an axe helped a girl with a scythe hold off other wooden humanoids. _Okay so their outnumbered three to one and their holding their own. First thing we can do to help out would be…._ He thought as Onix moved alongside him.

"Not what you were expecting Yuji?" Salma asked from her Onix as she looks at the battle. He chuckled as he fingered his other Pokéball as he looked at the battle and made a quick decision. Throwing it his Rhydon appeared and looked at the battle before turning to its trainer.

"Partner, stay here and be a canon, make those fliers your targets first and the rest after they leave or are down. Me, Tauros and Rhydon will charge in and help out!" Yuji said causing Salma to laugh a little as she raised her bow and drew out an arrow.

"So like that time by the Forest with those bandits? Onix Flash Cannon those two in the sky!" She said as Yuji chuckled as Onix formed a white orb of energy before it turned into a blast of white energy that speed towards the higher two Treewings.

"Let's help em out guys, Hyper Beam the three attacking the Protect!" Yuji said causing his Pokémon to raise their mouths at the three Treewings and fired blasts of orange energy at them. The Flash Cannon aimed at the two Treewings pierced one of them its center and scored a hit along it back. The Hyper Beams hit the three lower Treewings and caused an explosion that destroyed them!

Chogan and Kimi looked up as soon as the blasts cleared and saw a male trainer on a Tauros with a Rhydon charging towards the battle, a mace in his hands screaming as they came. The Rhydon slammed into a Woodslasher and squeezed it in two as the Tauros and trainer slammed into a Woodgrabber and jumping from his Pokémon the trainer's his mace tore away some the Woodgrabber's chest as he landed! Suddenly shards of rock started to rain onto the monsters from above, looking towards them they saw a girl on an Onix that was the source of the shards. They stayed motionless before a cry brought them back to reality and they saw Jed's axe kill a Treeslasher that was near them.

"Pay attention youngins, the battles still on!" He said with a scowl as his Blazekin punched a Treegrabber as it tried to get at its trainer. With a look Chogan and Kimi nodded at each other and charged at the creatures, their Pokémon following along behind them. A few moments later the battle was over, the last Treewing had flown away under fire from Salma and Onix and with Yuji help to break the deadlock the other creatures had been destroyed, as they stood and watched the last of them decompose Yuji felt a chill go down his spine as he wondered if _they_ were involved in whatever these things were.

"Mighty fine that you came and helped us son, name's Jed Flareblood of the Flareblood Farm! The rest of the people we stayed behind to protect, they make it to Viridian?" Jed asked as he walked towards the dreadlocked trainer.

"Yeah they did, but when did these things come from, I didn't see anything like them in the mountains." Yuji said as Salma's Onix started to come towards them.

"The mountains? What about the mountains sonny?" Pakwa asked as she sheathed her swords as her grandchildren exchanged looks, not liking where this was going.

"There's a Chimera horde up there, they attacked the city yesterday and your convoy was seen by the lookouts that we're set up. I'm Yuji and that's Salma, we're Trainers of the Viridian Gym and I think we should finish this behind the walls." Yuji said as he his Tauros came up to him.

Protector looked about the clearing where the rest of the Goblins had fallen back to, looking about it saw that most of the others had returned but frowned, where were Healer and Gazer; they hadn't returned yet. Protector looked around and moved towards a tree and climbed up, its claws sinking into the tree as it pulled itself upwards. It reached the top and looked around and frowned when it didn't see anything coming towards the clearing, where were its comrades? Gazer should have led the others back by now, maybe it should go looking for them. It started to move downward when it saw movement at the edge of the clearing. Protector was about to cry out to what it thought were others when it saw a glint of light reflected from the bush and frowned and through the trees until it was above the bush, looking past it saw some of the small grey creatures that had attacked the feast. Protector scowled as it saw six of the grey creatures and watched as they move aside to let a blue humanoid wolf with spikes on the back of its forepaws look at the clearing, Protector watched as the creatures gripped the sharp things as they all were looking at the other Goblins and scowled, it wouldn't let them strike!

The Machops moved aside as the Lucario stepped forward, all of them getting their weapons ready. The Queen had ordered that the Ogre's forces be _punished_ for the strike it had sent against them and finding them by the river had been a stroke of fortune! The group Lucario had led had come across a trail and they had tracked it to this clearing and seeing at least forty of the Chimera wounded and the Ogre and most of the changed Goblins were gone, a quick attack could kill at least half of the creatures. It had turned back to its troops to bark a command when something dropped to the ground behind it, it tried to turn when suddenly something pierced its throat and the Lucario tried to breathe, only wheezing that died as it fell to the ground. The Machops looked from the corpse of the Lucario and slowly looked upwards and saw Protector standing there, blood dripping from its claws as it looked at them before charging with a roar.

The Goblins in the clearing heard the roar and six of the stronger ones plus one who had a cut on its head ran towards the roar. They saw Protector dodging and exchanging blows from the things the grey creatures were welding and charged at them, causing a few to turn and Protector to slay one with a slash from its claws. As the grey creatures reacted and the other Goblins joined the battle the tide turned and after a few chaotic moments the last of the grey creatures were dead. As the others looked at the bodies on the ground Protector picked up the blue one and threw it over his shoulder and gestured for the others to drag the new food to feed their fellows, food would help them recover faster. Protector looked at the body it was carrying and touched the spikes on the back of the paws, if its sire decided to reward Protector for saving the others, it would give the Blessing to Healer, it could use the power to better defend itself and might gain the ability to look after itself.

Protector called out and gestured for the others in the clearing to come to the pile he had instructed the ones who carried the meat to make, cutting away pieces to give to the wounded as they came to it. As the worst of the wounded started to eat, Protector looked up as it tore away a grey arm from one of the corpses and looked towards the mountain deep in thought. Protector never noticed Salvager was eating slowly as it looked at Protector's arms with envy, it had to do something to make it stand out and gain a blessing, besides Protector, Deadeye and a few others not many of the pack had been blessed, it wanted the power to kill. As Scavenger planed as it ate it never realized that a one of the other Goblins had noticed it looking at Protector and smiled grimly as it plotted, noting something else about one of its kin to go with the _change_ it had noticed in Deadeye. A commotion at the front caused everyone to turn and see their sire helping Deadeye into the clearing.

Sire looked at Protector and bowed its head before it began speaking. It told of how it had led a group of Gazer, Healer, Deadeye and others into a small hallow when Gazer had noticed something and pushed Deadeye away from it before a blast of flame had engulfed Gazer before boulders had fallen onto the others. Sire and Deadeye had barely gotten out of the hollow when a blur had rushed past them before more of the grey creatures had attacked them. They had fought them off and turned and saw Dark Flare with Healer's body between its teeth and Broken Sting with a Goblin body in both claws. It blasted a spiral of water from its mouth at them and disappeared when a wall of flame had cut them the two of them off from it. Sire stood there and watched as the Goblins gained looks of anger as their wounds healed before its eyes as the food they ate went to work and it raised its hand and bellowed that they would hunt down the two that killed their own and they have vengeance now!

Protector just stood there as the others roared, shocked beyond words at what it had heard. It knew that Broken Sting could fire water but only from its claws, something else had happened to its comrades and its _monster_ of a Sire was it to finally kill the one it had always hated. Protector barely noticed Deadeye grabbed a few of the worst of the wounded and sent them back towards the mountain until only those would followed Sire and itself remained. With a roar the Ogre led the group out of the clearing, on the march to battle. As the others followed Sire Protector fell in behind, it would defend them from whatever plan those two had and if they had anything to do with their deaths, then they….would….pay.

Gazer looked up at the boulder blocking the hole and scowled. It, Healer and two others had barely made it through the hole before the avalanche had crushed the others. It couldn't believe that Sire and Deadeye had done. Gazer turned and watched as Healer used its powers on one of the two other Goblins as the other stared in awe. Gazer looked around and smiled when it smelt plants down a passage way and called out to the others and gestured for them to follow it. As Healer helped the Goblin it had treated to its feet and followed after Gazer the other Goblin went to the other side and started to help as well, sending a small smile towards Healer as they walked.

Gazer peered with its skill as it tried to comprehend just what those two had been planning, what they were after. With Sire it wanted the fire of the Flame Horn, but why did Deadeye decided to help it betray them, what could they gain from this action? Was the hunt a factor in their decision but why, what was different, sure everyone hunted and Protector…. Gazer stopped and went still even as Healer cried softly to it. Protector killed the plant creature in one blow, using the skill that it had had only used to protect their fellows! Were they trying to force it to use that ability but why and against who could….the Flame Horn, that had to be it, they were trying to get Protector to kill the Flame Horn but why, what did Deadeye get out of it? Gazer shook its head and moved through the tunnel as Healer pulled it along and it banished the thoughts it had from its head, for now they had to find a way out and try and stay away from whatever might be down here.

As they entered a large chamber Gazer lead the way as looked about and felt worried for some reason. As Gazer looked around at everything it had to admit that everything looked normal but wait, some of the stones here and there looked to be _different_ then rocks on the surface. In fact if it didn't know better…..THEY WERE ALIVE!

Before Gazer could call what it realized out three of the rocks shot at the Goblins, the one who been healed throwing Healer behind them as the other tensed and put itself before its comrade as Gazer crossed its arms in front of its face, letting the flat quills on its limbs block the rolling _stones._ Gazer gritted its teeth when the stone hit his arms and pushed it off itself and stared as the rocks unfolded into a grey head with arms as the other two Goblins were thrown back by the rocks that had hit them. Around the chamber five more of the rocks here and there unfolded and a larger white one farther back unrolled into a larger white colored thing with no necks and four arms each ending in three fingers, one set tucked against its chest under its mouth and the other were level with its eyes and stared at Gazer with a hunger it had only seen in the eyes of its Sire when it thought about the Flame Horn. As Healer dived for the hurt Goblin Gazer looked about the room and noticed an exit away from the others hidden from the white thing by rocks.

"GRAVELER!" The white thing roared as the smaller stone heads curled back into balls and shot at the Goblins. Gazer stood in front of the others and reached for anything within itself, to find anything that could save them when it felt a spark that ignited as a wall of energy formed and blocked the rolling creatures. Gazer felt the drain and barked for the others to move, it pressed forward until Gazer was between the creatures and the others. As Healer helped the others back to their feet the white thing started to growl and reached for one of the smaller stone heads which rolled into a ball and the white thing threw it over the shield. One of the other Goblins threw itself at the rock thing and started to grapple with it as Healer helped the other towards the exit. Gazer watched as the white stone heads moved towards the white thing and barked at the other Goblin to move as Gazer moved towards the exit. The Goblin moved back slammed the rock head against the ground before throwing it back over the shield. It charged and grabbed Gazer and charged for the exit with the rocks following behind them!

The two of them made it through the passageway before a boulder was suddenly pushed in the way, looking at where the boulder had come from Gazer saw Healer and the other Goblin panting but both were grinning. As the Goblin that had saved it looked at the others and started to roar that the others returned Gazer looked around and smelt the same scent of grass and fresh air down one passage way and moved towards it, the other three falling in behind it as Gazer picked up his pace, content on hopefully getting out of the underground and finding Protector.

Protector ran with the others as they moved through the woods, its eyes on Sire and Deadeye as they led the way, sure that somehow, one of them had been lying and it was ready for any sign of the truth. It was a bit worried about the fact that the only other Goblins were ones who would obey Deadeye without question, something that bother it for some reason it couldn't explain. All Protector knew was that its kin were gone and some that it could do without were with it on a 'revenge mission' against the target that their Sire had been after for years, and might have been responsible for the loss of its…..friends.

Deadeye dashed through the bushes following Sire as it moved and smirked. If they followed the plan then all they had to do was through the others at the flame thing and the bug and wait for that idiot to kill one of them and tire out and then kill the survivors. And if that old fool thought it would be one of its sacrifices then Deadeye would just have to show it that it wasn't _prey_. As Sire lead the group out of the woods it saw a mound ahead and it could smell the scent of a fire creature and a bug creature. Their sire roared and pointed forward and the Goblins charged, most of them head straight over the hill while some of the others moving around the sides. Protector stayed back and before moving after the group that headed left and charged after them. He came to a stop as he saw Dark Flare and Broken Sting defend themselves from the other Goblins, Dark Flare blasting away with flame blasts as Broken Sting fired blasts of water from its two pincers as it stabbed out with its broken stinger as they defended themselves. Protector watched as the two Chimera fought knew that the story that Sire had said was a lie, but this….the two of them were trying not to kill the others, nor were they hurting them the others too badly.

As Protector watched it was finally able to get a good look at the ones fighting the two Chimera and realized that all the ones who had attacked were the ones who had gone around the left side, where were the others…..Protector speed up the hill and no sooner did it reach about halfway up did a boulder go speeding by it. Turning Protector saw the two Chimera leap away and a few of the other Goblins had dodged it but at least three of its fellows were crushed as the boulder speed over them. Protector looked up and snarled as it saw Deadeye looking down at it next to Sire and Deadeye grin darkly at it before sire bellowed and threw its hand forward and two more boulders were pushed past them. Protector punched one of the boulders and sent it careening into the other one and bellowed out to the ones still fighting, causing them to look at the top of the hill as suddenly from the right side the other Goblins charged, each of them holding a rock or branch in their hands and attacked the two Chimera and the other Goblins. As they struck at the Goblins who had attacked the two Chimera and the other two, Protector could only stare as everything it believe in was destroyed it looked up at its Sire who was staring back with a frown, its eyes going from Protector to the others and suddenly Protector went still as it understood, it's former leader believed that if its own was killed it would activate Protector's rage directed at the others not like them. Protector stared up at them and felt such a pressure build within it, not noticing a glow had started to form around itself.

"ROOOOAARRRGGG!" The scream Protector released stopped the battle as all looked up as Protector suddenly shot upwards, Deadeye falling behind Sire and smiling as the chance for what it always thought of as a fool to fight against the Ogre.

Broken Sting watched as the last of the first wave were killed by the second and as Dark Flare growled it looked at it comrade and sent a bolt of Aura at it. Dark Flare was glowing when it felt the bolt hit itself and went still.

 **[These are different from the others who attacked us, you hit them high** _ **.**_ **]** Dark Flare heard and it grinned as it sent a bolt at Broken Sting before Dark Flare jumped high into the sky and as the other Goblins were watching Protector's charge, it released a blast of flames from its mouth at the top of its leap, the flames hitting between the two groups of Goblins, Dark Flare landed among the Goblins from the right and started to claw and rampage through them before charging up the hill.

 **[You hit them at range while I line them up.]** Broken Sting heard as it opened its claws and shot heated water at the Goblins attacking from the right as they tried to recover from Dark Flare's assault, moving to protect what Goblins from the first wave that were still alive. As Protector and Sire two fought Sire was confused beyond meaning. The offering of life had been given to its spawn so why was it attacking it, why wasn't it attacking the United Horde, didn't the soul offered to it put its rage against the others not like it, why was it striking at it? Deadeye looked on in confusion; their Sire should have been able to handle the scum already, why was it having such trouble. It looked at the battle and saw most of the Goblins that had attacked the two of them were down or running away. It scowled as it saw Dark Flare running towards Sire and Protector, that thing putting its noise into the battle was the last thing it wanted to happen, time to put its hat in the ring. It grabbed a stone and threw it at Protector, striking on one of its arms, given Sire a chance to grab Protector and throw it down at Dark Flare. Protector curled up and Dark Flare jumped up and stopped it and Protector uncurled and stood next to Dark Flare as the two looked at those on top of the hill, Sire, Deadeye and fifteen other Goblins, the two looked at each other and nodded, they would handle Sire together then decide what to do next after they survived.

Gazer had gotten them out of the underground and knew something was wrong as soon as it heard a roar from the east. It had led the way towards where the sound had come from as soon as they had as gotten their strength back. They moved through the woods, Healer between the other two other Goblins as Gazer ran, Healer thinking about how they had to find Protector soon and tell it about what Deadeye and Sire had done, however Gazer stopped suddenly, Healer looked around and saw Broken Sting trying to defend Goblins while Goblins holding branches or rocks tried to attack those Broken Sting protected. Gazer looked at Healer and the other two before a shout caused it to whip its head around and saw Protector and Dark Flare under attack from other Goblins on top of a small hill. Gazer looked as Goblins screamed and charged at Dark Flare and as Sire stood there and Gazer saw something with its _vision_ that caused to run towards Protector and Dark Flare at a dead run, Sire was gather strength for a blast; it had to save those two!

Protector slashed as the traitors attacked it and Dark Flare, one tackled Protector and sent the both of them into a roll that ended with the other on top of Protector raising one of its hands as the other squeezed Protector's neck when a stone hit it in its central eye and another Goblin tackled it off Protector. Protector looked as the Goblin who saved it got off the whimpering body of the attacker and turned to Protector, who could only stare, it was Gazer. Gazer sent a smirk at Protector who felt a tear come from one of its eyes before Protector scowled and lunged at another Goblin that was coming at Gazer. Its comrade was alive; it wouldn't let anything kill Gazer now. Farther down Broken Sting and three Goblins were defend the last four other Goblins of the first wave as the others tried to kill them when two Goblins hit them from behind and Healer dashed through the melee and grabbed one of the injured Goblins, Broken Sting could only stare in wonder as Healer used its gift.

Sire glared down and kept gathering Aura as Dark Flare, Gazer and Protector with disdain. _Why couldn't that one die, why didn't the berserk soul of that protective weakling take the offering, it's what woke my own maker berserk state whenever it killed one of those weaklings!_ Sire thought as it looked down at the battle, never noticing that Deadeye was looking at it as Deadeye did prey.

Sire finally felt the power reach maximum and looked at those who stood against it and opened its mouth and released a beam of blue energy the size of its head that shot downward and engulfed the combatants before the beam engulfed them. Sire smirked but after a few seconds a green glow was seen as the beam died down and Gazer was there with its arms crossed with a green wall of energy before it, Dark Flare and Protector and two the Goblins who had attacked them. Sire stared at the Protect in shock but before it could react a energy bolt from below hit one of the other Goblin's as it raised a stone to throw down caused Deadeye to look at Broken Sting as it pointed it stingers at the hill top and Sire stumbled backwards and turned and ran, the others following behind it. Deadeye stayed and looked down at Protector before raising a fist and bringing across its own neck before it dashed after its maker.

Protector stared at Gazer as it dropped the Protect and the other two Goblins moved away from them after the others. It walked to Gazer and hugged him, shaking a little as it held its comrade. Gazer only patted Protector's back and moved back and started to chat with Protector as the two walked towards Healer and the others, telling Protector how Sire and Deadeye had tried to kill them with the boulder. As Protector and Gazer reached the others Healer and the nine unnamed Goblins, Protector laughing and smiling as they reunited and started to mutter to each other as Broken Sting and Dark Flare looked at each other and Broken Sting sent bolts of Aura that struck each of the Goblins.

 **[What will you all do now?]** Goblins heard in their heads and they whipped their heads around and tried to find the source of what they before the snickering of Dark Flare caused them to looked at the Chimera. It stopped snickering and its checks bulged out and it spat a large ball of a fleshy mass and spat out a ward the _blessing liquid_ onto it before a spark of Aura shot from it all the Goblins.

 **[Eat this and your all understand.]** The Goblins heard and after a few seconds Protector walked over and tore a blob of the mass with the liquid on it and bite out of it. Protector felt a rush of warmth flow through its body and it understood that the blessing was mutation and they had communicated through an Aura message, it understood what they all were. It turned and saw the concern on the others faces and smiled as it sent bolts of Aura at the others.

 **[Eat up everyone; this is what we need to survive. It's a truth the old one kept from us.]** The others heard and looked at each other and walked over to the mass as Protector walked towards Broken Sting and Dark Flare and sent a bolt at the both of them.

 **[Thank you for that, I'm sorry that the old one sent us after you two.]** Dark Flare and Broken Sting heard as the Goblins that ate the mass suddenly understood just what they were and what they had been given and started to send bolts of Aura between themselves as Gazer walked towards the other three.

 **[Don't be, that one and me have a history, and he wants my abilities you know the type…our don't you.]** Protector and Broken Sting both heard before Gazer joined the group and sent bolts of aura towards the three Chimera.

 **[Well we can't return to the cave now, any ideas where to go you over protective idiot?]** The three heard in a gruff 'voice' as Protector blushed at what it heard as the other two started to snicker. Protector looked about and started to think. _We were all attacked and now those here were betrayed. Nothing else to do but find a new hunting ground, that's all we can do._ Protector thought grimly before sending bolts of Aura at Dark Flare, Broken Sting and Gazer.

 **[True, and given the grouping of creatures that attacked us before it's not safe to stay around here, we have to move on. I thank you for this gift; it'll make 'talking' to each other easier.]** Dark Flare, Broken Sting and Gazer heard prompting Gazer to look towards the mountain in the distance and nodded before Dark Flare sent bolts of Aura at all the Chimera by the hill

 **[Nothing says all you can't come with us, right Stinger?** ] They all heard causing the Goblins to look at Broken Sting. Broken Sting looked about the clearing and after a few seconds nodded and sent bolts of Aura at the Chimera around it.

 **[You all are powerful and it's easier to survive if you have a group. But there are two humans that I have to kill one day, please don't stop me when I battle them.]** They all heard causing the unnamed Goblins and Healer to start to celebrate as Gazer and Protector nodded at each other and nodded to the two Chimera. As the group moved off Dark Flare stopped and looked towards a tree beyond the hill. It could have sworn that it heard something but after a few seconds it turned and followed after its comrades and never looked back, not noticing a feather fall slowly from the tree, the watcher gone.

Two figures in aqua green clocks ran through a passage way lit by light from blue purple crystals along the wall, both of them moving with a sense of purpose that seemed to be on the edge of insanity. As the two moved along the passageway they started to hear sounds of inhabitation as they turned a corner and entered a large cavern the size of a football field with people moving about an open market. The two people moved through the crowds, one of them slowing down when they reached a row of merchants with a few pieces of jewelry at the front but the other pulled them along behind them.

"Sis, we can take the time to check the wares, it's almost Gift Day after all and I still have a few girls to shop for!" One of them whined with a feminine voice as the other kept an arm on the woman's shoulder.

"Coral, you know what we found; we have to get to the Matriarch now!" The figure pulling Coral said with a hard feminine voice as they moved through the crowd, only stopping when the she almost ran into a teen about sixteen with purple hair in a ponytail dressed in a simple looking aqua blue robe. The teen peered at the two figures before noticing a few things that made her realize who was before her, smiling as she did.

"Oh, Coral, Tiderea, good day, may the blessing of the Water be upon you. What brought you two to the Seller's Cave?" The purple haired teenager said as she bowed towards them before grinning at them with a smile that lite up her sea green eyes.

"Maiden Vivian, a good day to you. What has brought you down here to the main cavern on market day, personal desires?" Tiderea asked as she looked at Vivian and noticed Vivian was carrying a small basked in her hands. Vivian only sighed mournfully and looked at the two people before her.

"No, I gathering the last few things I need for my offering to Nimue." Vivian said with a sigh as she closed her eyes, never noticing that the two girls before her had tensed for a moment. Coral shot a look at Tiderea and spoke up when she noticed the state Tiderea was in.

"Oh, it's almost been a full half year since she died fighting that Chimera, hasn't it?" Coral asked as Tiderea only stared at Vivian. Vivian looked up and smiled at them and nodded.

"Yes, I always thought she would go far, but going out as she did fighting to protect us all….that to was how her stream flowed. That she returned to the great flow is painful but she is at peace now, something that will happen to all of us one day." Vivian said with a serene smile as the two before her tried to keep their reactions from her.

"We'd love to stay but we have to go, we need to talk to the Matriarch." Coral said as she and Tiderea bowed and walked off.

"The sending is at the High Chamber in two days before the mid-day meal sisters. While you all fought, I'm sure she would have been honored if you two join us." Vivian said as Tiderea stopped for a second before she moved on. Vivian watched the two go before she turned and walked away, deep in thought. _I knew there was something wrong about what they said happened to Nimue! The way those two reacted; I might need to check in on a few things and keep my ears open._ She thought as she looked about, a serene smile on her face as she hunted for the last few things she needed.

As they walked off Coral looked over her shoulder and saw that Tiderea had stopped for a second and almost stopped to join her before she saw that Tiderea had continued moving. She dropped her speed and made sure that their eyes met until Tideraa looked away. Tideraa moved forward and Coral fell in behind her, a hard thought in her head. _Come on sis keep it together. I know the two of you always fought against each other and you were the one to kill her but keep it together._ Coral thought as she followed Tideraa out of the cavern and moved down a large tunnel. They entered another large cavern, this one with houses and men, woman and children moving about with different emotions, all in all the same kind of people that you would have found in any city.

Moving through the town they moved towards an area with four women in armor holding tridents standing guard. The two walked up to them and withdrew a small trinket that caused the four women to let them pass them by, walking down a ramp towards a doorway. As soon as the two teens were through the door and closed it behind them Tiderea exploded.

"How the hell could she have survived, her Dewott was hurt and it couldn't have carried her away!" Coral snarled softly a as they moved down the passage way. Coral looked about before she spoke softly.

"Maybe sister but please stay quiet until we talk to the lady, this is the worst thing that could happen to our sisterhood since the rebellion!" Coral hissed as her eyes darted around and Tiderea only grunted and looked forward as they walked on. After a few minutes of silent walking they entered a room with a woman sitting behind a table with a large crystal ball on it. She looked up and smiled before frowning when Coral pulled down her hood to reveal her long blue hair and a scowl that turned her ocean blue eyes ice hard.

"No time for small talk, where is the Mistress?" Coral demanded as the woman looked from Coral to her sister before gulping and looking at the orb on the table. Putting her hand on the woman's eyes glowed blue before she broke contact with the orb and looked at the two teens before her.

"She's still with the Aspirants at the first training center, if you liked I could…." The woman trailed off as the two of them walked away down a passage way. As they walked Tiderea kept her a scowl on her face as she walked, hatred for _her_ for daring to do what she did in danger of exploding out of her as they walked through the hallway. After a few minutes they reached double doors that they entered, going into a dance studio with many young girls in leotards were dancing, stretching or caring for Pokémon eggs as an old woman with her grey with blue streaked hair in a large braid in a purple dress with long sleeves sat and drank tea. Looking up the woman saw the girls walking towards her and smiled as her purple eyes lit up in happiness.

"Ahh. Coral, Tiderea welcome! Come to help out the little ones on their lessons?" She asked with a happy tone to her voice only to frown when Tiderea kept her hood up and Coral had a look of fear in her eyes.

"No milady, we came to talk about the _fishing_ expedition you sent us on." Coral said softly, causing the woman to frown. She stood up and cleared her throat, the girls stopping what they were doing and looking at her.

"Students, I'm sorry but I have to leave now to take care of a little problem, keep practicing and I'll be back later to check on you." She said as she walked towards a door behind her and Tiderea and Coral followed after her. They shared a look with each other as they followed her through the door that closed behind them. No sooner did the door close then the woman whirled about and looked right at them with a hard stare.

"And what do you have to report; did you find her corpse and doctor it so the others will buy the cause of death?" She demanded with a hard edge to her voice. _Yeah, this is the boss who's ruled with a velvet glove covering a still gauntlet. She is not going to be happy about this._ Coral thought as Tiderea stepped forward and removed her hood, revealing her short blue hair and ocean blue eyes and looked at her leader standing straight.

"Unfortunately my lady, the target survived." Tiderea said as Coral just held up a flash driver and moved towards a monitor set into the wall. As the matriarch watched a news report came up on the screen. A newswoman was standing before an upside down truck with the doors sliced off. In the background were police cars and people carrying two people on stretchers.

"….it's bad here. The truck behind me was supposedly on the way to Fangrock Prison with members of the recently captured gang known as the Buzz Lords, among them was their leader Rex Tristos." The woman said as Coral paused the video, highlighted the far right corner and enlarged it, revealing a girl with green hair with her back to the camera but that shade of hair, only those who lived here had that shade of hair. The old woman looked at the figure and slowly started to glare as a blue aura sprang up around her and water started to form and move around her body.

"She survived, for the first time in centuries someone has escaped from us. Not since the time of that bastard Aquatron has there been such a failure." The woman said in a hard voice. Coral looked at her Tiderea and gulped. Tiderea looked on impassively and spoke up.

"I have no idea how she could have survived, she and her Pokémon were on their last legs, it makes no sense how she could…." Tiderea said only for the Matriarch to turn and glare at her.

"It had to have evolved into a Samurott you idiot! But it doesn't matter how she survived; only what we do now!" The Matriarch snarled as she looked away and brought a hand in front of her face and let small globes of water orbit her hand as she thought. _I need to send girls after the bitch, but I need to do so in a way that lets their absence not be noticed._ She thought as she watched the water orbit her hand as she tried to think of anything as Coral and Tiderea looked on and looked at each other and nodded. Tiderea stepped forwards and coughed, the Matriarch turned to her with a scowl on her face.

"Milady my sister and I volunteer to bring her back. We were always stronger fighters and…." She trailed off when she saw the expression on her lady's face.

"Well of course you two are going after her! I just need to find a way to explain your absence you idiots!" The Matriarch spate as Tiderea stepped back and bowed as Coral sighed.

"To bad the bitch lived after all, what with the fact that her sending is the day after tomorrow." Coral said under her breath and the Matriarch went still when she heard and turned to Coral, a cold grin forming on her face.

"The Sending…. For dear Nimue. And if someone caused an issue, say used Aura even as an automatic response…. Then we would have to have her sent away for some isolation training wouldn't we?" The Matriarch asked as she looked at Tiderea and Coral who started to understand what she wasn't saying Looking at each other the two teens nodded at each other before looking at their leader.

"I could act out a bit, I was the one to see her go under after all. I could say how she saved me, and how I should have saved her." Tiderea said as Coral nodded along.

"I could bring up how the two of you were always fighting and make a comment how you just don't like to owe her something you can't pay back, then you could strike at me using Aura." Coral said as the Matriarch nodded at them.

"Perfect, make sure it's believable and I'll have a few guards change their patrols and I'll make sure you have enough at the isolation cell to slip out easily, go and finalize your plan." She ordered as the two bowed to her.

"By your leave, Matriarch Selene." The Sisters Depthgem said as they walked out of the room, leaving Selene, Matriarch of the Sisterhood of Water to stay behind and sit and think. _Out of all my students the one I thought might replace me one day had to be the one who escaped. She had enough bravery and passion to be the one to inherited my position, but she had to get bitten by the stage bug, and instead of being captured to be put into jail and have her mind rewritten, she escaped. But this might be good for us after all, after all a survivor who escaped and was treated poorly by the mainland might make some rumbles my spies have heard here and there die._ Selene thought as she walked back to the studio to look after the girls practicing.

Serena finished packing up the last of her things as she got ready to leave the city with a smile, part of her couldn't believe how she was feeling, she was giddy; she couldn't remember when she was so happy in the last few years. After all the days of lying about with no goal she was going to try and find one. _I was so lazy but it's time to discover just what I want to do with my life, it's time to find what I want to become._ Serena thought as she picked up her bag and walked out of the room in the Center they had rented. She smiled as she moved towards the foyer and smiled when she saw her friends talking at the doors, she was finally taking her life into her own hands and she couldn't feel better about it.

"Serena." Serena went still when she heard her mother's voice and turned to see Grace walking towards her smiling, holding a box in her hands that she thrust at her daughter. Serna looked at her mother who smiled softly at her.

"I want you to know I'm proud of you. You've decided to take your life as your own and I will never be mad about that." Grace said as Serena looked at her mother and smiled at her before she hugged her mother and closed her eyes. Grace just held her daughter and smiled down at Serena as she listened to her daughter speak.

"I did nothing for years besides homeschool and race training, besides the training helped keep me to stay in shape so I can't mad about that. And you just wanted what was best for me, right mom?" Serena said as Grace smiled at her daughter as she patted her hair before Grace stepped back. Grace handed Serena the box and she looked down at it before looking up at her mother.

"I was saving this for your birthday, but I think your decision to officially start your journey means you're going to need this sooner than that." Grace said as Serena opened the box to see a brand new Pokénav watch. Serena looked up at her mom to see her smiling down at her with an impish look in her eyes that caused Serena to feel nervous.

"Just remember to call me every once in a while, okay? And don't make me a grandmother too soon." Grace said as Serena blushed before she exploded.

Ash finished putting the last of his supplies away and stretched as he stood up. Lilly had won her next ribbon and she the code she had been given said that the Grand Ribbon would be awarded to the person who won the contest at the 'Shadowed Battlefield' in Lumiose City. When Clemont had heard the code he had gone still and said that named Battlefields usably meant places of Kalos's ancient war, but he had never heard of one called 'Shadowed'. The last he had seen of Lilly she had gone and downloaded a 'History of the War for the Crown' onto her Pokédex and was looking up all battles that had happened around what would become Lumiose City, and she had a good feeling about her chances to find it before the deadline. _I don't know anything about how their doing contests here, but something tells me that there's a reason behind how their making it so hard and I have a feeling I won't like it when I learn it._ Ash thought as he picked his backpack up and looked at the others.

"MOM!" Ash reached down and put his backpack on as he just shook his head at the cry.

"Parents, they seem to get a kick out of embarrassing us don't they?" Ash said as he looked at Clemont with a shrug as he noticed the smirks and grins on his friends faces as they looked anywhere but towards Serena.

"I can't believe you said that mom, I just can't!" Serena said as she blushed as Grace laughed as the two walked over to the others, looking everywhere but at Ash who looked at Grace before looking away at the look she had in her eyes, remember a lot of embarrassment his own mother had caused when she had the same look.

"Well you're going on your journey; it's practically a requirement that parents embarrass their children before they leave home." Grace said as she laughed at her daughter. Lilith watched with a small smile and as she looked at them. _This reminds me of when my cousin told aunty she was publishing a Vision video with a song she wrote, who could have guessed she would have gained such fame with it?_ Lilith thought as she looked and smiled at her friend and mother talk to each other. She fingered something through her bag and smiled as she looked at Bonnie, she had talked with Clemont about it and he had admitted with what had happened he agreed that she needed to know so when they stopped tonight she would get it and begin her lessons.

Grace looked on as Serena talked to Lilly and the others and smiled at how animated she was and smiled. _She was right, she needed this. A Journey was just what she needed, to take care of herself and take a look at the world to decide what she wants to do. I just hope nothing happens to her on._ Grace thought, she never noticed Ash walk towards her.

"I'll do what I can to keep her safe Miss Grace, don't worry about that. The only way is if they go over me first I promise." Ash said quietly as Grace looked up in shock that Ash had moved to her so silently. She was about to say something when she realized the look in Ash's eyes and nodded, not trusting her voice. Ash nodded and walked back to the others, Pikachu jumping onto his shoulder as they

"So did you find a clue for where the 'Shadowed Battlefield' is Lilly?" Ash asked as they moved off towards the Route to their next generation.

"Kind of, I was right that they started to call the battlefield during the war with the Type of the attackers Pokémon or where it was. A place by a river was called the Flowing Battlefield because of the rapids nearby so I think if I look up what battles happened there then I'll know where to go." Lilith said as they walked off.

As Grace looked away from the friends as they walked towards L City she saw someone with a bouquet of flowers walking towards her and flinched. _That stalker of mine strikes again, I have to do something about whoever it is, this can't go on. If Serena can take control then I'll do the same!_ Grace thought as she walked towards the person with a frown on her face as she started to try and think about just what she could do.

As they walked through the woods Ash started to listen to the sounds of nature and tune out the others as they talked as they all moved, something was _different_ about the area they were in, his experience was telling him that something was about to happen. Suddenly a blue flash shot out and stopped in front of them, causing Ash to throw out his arm to stop the others from walking into whatever was there. As the others realized Ash had stopped and looked at what

"What's that?" Serena asked as she got out her Pokédex and scanned what was before them.

"Flabébé, the Single Bloom Pokémon, Fairy Type. It's not safe without the power of a flower, but it will keep traveling around until it finds one with the color and shape it wants, all members of this species are female." Serena's Pokédex reported as the others looked at the little Fairy Pokémon.

"But what's it doing here, why'd it stop us?" Clemont asked as they looked at the Fairy Type as it hovered there holding her flower. Lilith looked at the Pokemon and understood and stepped to the side and realized who she was looking at and smiled. _So I was right, she does have a secondary Fairy Type! Oh this is wonderful; when she awakens I'll be able to teach her all the tricks I learned from Mom's scroll!_ Lilith said as she looked at Bonnie and smiled.

"It wants to battle Bonnie; it wants to see if she's strong enough to be her trainer." Lilith said as the others looked from her to the Fairy Type and Bonnie just stared in shock. Ash just looked confused for a few seconds before nodding, he had come across a few trainers who had been challenged by Pokémon even when they were in a group, they wanted to battle certain trainers and that was that. How and why that did this was still being debated by Pokémon behavior exports all over, even Pr. Oak didn't know just why they sometimes did it. One person thought that something about the people called to the Pokémon in question. Bonnie looked down at Dedenne who looked up at its trainer and she looked at Clemont who looked at his sister for a few seconds before nodding causing her to smile and Dedenne to jump out of her bag and stand before the Flabébé.

"Dedenne Tackle!" Bonnie commanded prompting Dedenne to charge at Flabébé, only for Flabébé to dodge to the right and send a vine from the flower at Dedenne and scored a hit that sent Dedenne farther away from the Fairy type and its flower. Ash watched impassivly as he looked at the Flabébé and wondered what Bonnie would do with what limited moves Dedenne had, Serena and Clemont just looked at Bonnie as Lilith suddenly went still and looked around, someone was nearby. As Dedenne rubbed its checks before it shot towards Flabébé who counter charged and when they both hit each other Dedenne released a shock that staggered Flabébé who winced when static electricity went over its form.

"She's paralyzed, have Dedenne attack again and you can win!" Clemont said as he and Serena looked at Bonnie. Lilith meanwhile moved slowly towards Ash who had set his bag down rummaging in it and unlatching his sword while his body was blocking his bag from the woods behind. Pikachu was looking at the battle and seemed to be put all his concitration on it but its tail was twitching. Lilith stopped just behind the

"The people surrounding us, when they move can you protect Bonnie?" Ash asked as he got out a Pokéball, smiling when he saw the Heal Ball in his hands. Lilith jolted a little and looked at Ash as the words hit her and was shocked when she saw his hand was near his sword and he seemed to be ready to grab it and smirked. _Ash is continuing to surprise me, I can't wait until I can introduce them all to Aura!_ Lilith thought as she reached for her whip as she

"Yeah, I can get my weapon fast enough to buy time for the others, what about you?" Lilith asked as Ash passed the Pokéball to her and gestured to Bonnie as her attention was on the battle, the Flabébé was barely holding onto the flower as Dedenne was looking at it.

"Tell Serena and Clemont to close their eyes when I call out." Ash said softly, prompting Lilith to nod before she walked towards Bonnie as Clemont had put his backpack down and was scrounging for it looking for a Pokéball to give to Bonnie when Lilith walked up. She tapped Bonnie's shoulder and smiled when the younger girl turned looked at her

"Here Bonnie, use this Heal Ball, it'll heal Flabébé and keep her the same until we can get to the next Pokémon Center!" Lilith said as she handed over the Heal Ball. Bonnie took it and smiled as she turned towards the battle.

"Thanks Lilly! Pokeball GOOO!" Bonnie cried as the ball flew through the air and hit the Fairy Type. The ball sucked the Pokémon into the ball and the ball shook for a few seconds before the light died down and the ball was still.

"We did it Dedenne, we've got a new friend!" Bonnie said as Dedenne ran towards her and jumped into Bonnie's arms and nuzzled its trainer check as she laughed. Serena and Clemont looked on but Serena noticed Lilith's eyes were looking around and that Ash and Pikachu were both tense as if waiting for something to happen. Serena was about to say something when Lilith grabbed her hand and pulled her close.

"When Ash calls out close your eyes." Lilith hissed out as she slowly moved her hand towards her whip. Serena looked at her before her own eyes widened as she slowly moved her hand towards her bag and her naginata as even Clemont picked up something was wrong. Slow clapping

"Well, well. Quite a good battle for a Jr. and those two will get a lot on the black market…." A voice began before Ash interrupted.

"PIKACHU, FLASH!" Ash cried as he closed his eyes and he drew his sword, Pikachu jumped to Ash's arm and from it into the air and releases a flash of light that caused cries of pain to erupt from all around them. Serena grabbed her weapon and released Fenniken with her eyes closed and when she opened them to see trainers in green with Bug Pokémon out rubbing at their eyes and Serena stared in shock as she paled as Fenniken growled. _The Buzz Lords, but I thought those two were just stragglers, what are they doing here, are they after revenge?_ Serena wondered as she looked about as the clapping continued.

"So you realized we were here, than I guess you beating Rex wasn't just luck." A gruff voice said as from all around them the Buzz Lords got back to their feet and released their Bug types. Ash gripped his blade tighter and looked around and saw over twenty Bug types blocking the way back to Odyssey Village and the path to Lumiose City, the buzz lords split across from them and a trainer moved through the opening they had made and looked at them. Ash gritted his teeth and looked at the man who held with metal pole in his right hand and was flanked by two Pinsir who looked straight at Pikachu like they were sizing up something to eat.

"Rex made the mistake of threatening my friends, I would suggest you turn around and go back the way you came, if you don't want the same thing to happen to you." Ash said calmly as Clemont drew his axes as Lilith stood with her back to them with Bonnie between them. As

"Allow me to introduce myself; I'm Tiberius Gaulix, Rex's 2nd and the guy who will break you." Tiberius said with a smirk as the others around him started to snicker. Ash merely glared at him as Bonnie held Clemont's back.

"So what do you want then, us to surrender? And then what?" Lilith asked as she looked at the Pokémon and trainers as they drew batons and clubs and she was sure she saw a flash of grey behind one of the trees. _What is that, a lookout but why haven't they moved in?_ Lilith thought as she listened to the Buzz Lords laugh.

"The brat's gonna be held captive, the three of you are gonna be trained right, and the nerd probably gonna end up in a ditch somewhere." One of the gangers said as the others laughed and snickered as Bonnie hid from their leers. Clemont gripped his eyes and his eyes grew hard as he realized for the first time that he might have to put these people down permanently to keep Bonnie and Lilly safe, and that surprisingly he didn't mind.

Ash pressed his Pokéball and released Froakie and Flectling as he looked about and hide a frown as he saw some of the gangers were dropping back, behind the others. He had only seen something like this when Team Plasma had split in two, was this like that?

"I see your going to try and resist very stupid. I'll think I make you watch while I show your girls just why that is a bad idea." Tiberius said as the various Bug types moved in with a smug tone and a smirk on his face. Ash and Lilith stared at him with a cold look in their eyes as Clemont just stared at him, shocked beyond words that someone could be so evil as Bonnie hugged him. Serena just gripped her nagatina as her eyes lost focus for a few seconds before she gritted her teeth and her Fenniken just growled at a Beedrill that was looking at her.

"Like hell! Liepard, Mandibuzz, Nidorina GO! Let's fight!" Lilith snarled as her three Pokémon were released and she struck out with her whip and hit one of the gangers.

"Pikachu, Thunder Shock wide spread! Fletchling target the purple flying ones and Froakie, Water Pulse anymon that get close to Bonnie!" Ash commanded as he ran at one of the gangers and slashed down with his sword and bashed another in the face with his shield, sending him to the ground while Pikachu jumped into the air and sent a blast of electricity that hit at least a fourth of the trainers and Pokémon, paralyzing at least half of those hit. When two of the ganger came at Clemont and Bonnie, Clemont slashed his two headed axes at them and hit one in the arm, causing him to cry out and drop his club as he cluched at his wound as his Heracorss shot at Clemont in revenge. Bunnelby shot a Mud Shot at it and forced it to raise its arms to protect its eyes before Froakie slammed a Water Pulse into its back and sent it to the ground unconscious, Froakie smirked before dodging a Weedle that tried to spear it. Serena slashed out with her nagatina as her Fenniken formed a Protect and blocked a Pin Missile from a Beedrill as Serena fought with its trainer. Liepard dashed here and they slashing with glowing front paws as Nidorina fired white needles as it stood in front of Bonnie as Mandibuzz flew by and grabbed a Butterfree with her claws and threw it into a Whirlipede.

Tiberius looked at the battle as he tried to take in what was happening and scowled. _So the brat and his friends are strong, and the way that Pikachu is his starter. No wonder the boss wants him as a strategist._ Tiberius thought as he watched to battle. He looked at his two Pinsir and nodded to them as they caught his eye and pointed at Froakie and both of them charged. Froakie had dodge a Signal Beam from an Ariados when one of the Pinsir grabbed it and threw it into the air for the other Pinisr to punch, shooting Froakie flying at and hitting Fletchling sending both down. As two Scyther and a Scizor menaced them before Liepard tackled them away and Fletchling got back into the air and Froakie fired a Bubble attack at the two Pinsir as they tried to attack it before jumping into the air and using a Beedrill as a springboard to jump around the two of them. Ash had seen the attacks as he dodged a blow from one of the gangers club and siched one of the gangers across his face and slammed his shield into another, breaking his noise as he grabbed it and screamed into his hands from the pain.

Bunn was pushed backwards by Surskit's Water Gun and got back to its feet with a wince as it got up and Nidorina slammed into a Crustle that charged at it. Clemont slashed out with his axes and frowned as he tried to keep track of everyone. Alexandr laughed and put his hammer across his shoulder.

"Just surrender brats; nothing can change the fact you're going to lose, then we're save Rex and he can decide what to do to….with you." Tiberius said as he laughed.

"Wrong!" A voice spat out as suddenly as something hit Tiberius in the face and sent him to the ground as a third of the trainers suddenly turned on their fellows, blasts from their Pokémon and war cries from the trainers gave Ash an opening to gather his friends back to together and looked at the gangers as they fought against each other.

"Alexandr what the hell do you think you're doing!" Tiberius snarled as he got back up and locked eyes with Alexandr who meet his glare with one of his own.

"The Buzz Lords were born from the guard of the Tristo family; I am honoring the wishes of the head of the family. If you are content on dragging the family through the muck, then face me!" Alexandr said as he released an Escavalier and a Heracross as he stood there with a tonfa ready to catch any blows from Tiberuis's hammer. Tiberius looked as all around those who were rebelling against him were gathering together and forcing back his own forces. He gritted his teeth as he looked at his defeated Pinsir and snarled as he looked at the traitors as they started to fall back.

"Running away traitors!" Tiberuis bellowed as he charged at Alexandr who met his charge as his Heracross charged at the Pinsirs as his Escavalier floated above the melee.

"No, this battle merely has no point for us, if you and yours are so stupid to fight when there's no gain, then less power to you as the master once said." Alexandr said as he parried with his tonfa and his Escavalier fired a Pin Missile attack at two Pinisrs as they tried to charge at its trainer. Heracross chokeslammed both Pinsirs and grabbed one and used it as a club to beat on the other one.

"Can we get away from them Ash?" Serena asked as she panted as the others gathered together. _Good question but I don't think we can yet._ Ash thought as he took stock of what was happening. From what he saw the rebel Buzz Lords were all gathered together away from Loyalist Buzz Lords who still had the way to both Odyssey Village and Lumiose City, if they tried for either they would hit by the forces from the other side and taken down in a pincer attack.

The only thing he could see helping would be if the Loyalists made a move and moved enough of their forces away from those two points to let them break through, looking back he saw Lilith put Bonnie on her Nidorina and shush before she nodded at him, it seems she realized just how they had to get out of her and was ready to make sure Bonnie made it out okay.

Ash dodged a blow from one of the Loyalists and slashed down with his sword, cutting the man on his right eye and then he bashed him with his shield, sending the man to the ground! Clemont parried the blow of a clubs with one of his Axes and sliced at back with his free axe and the ganger moved backwards covering his wound as he got out a bottle and sprayed it with a liquid that caused him to wince and before he smirked and charged back at Clemont only for Ash to block his blow and bash him with his shield. Ash picked up the bottle and frowned before putting it into his backpack and looked around the gangers, seeing some of their comrades helping them, putting bandages on them or dragging them to the edges away from the combat. _Haven't seen anything like this since Team Plasma, I so don't like this at all. I should send this to Looker at the next Center, he's gonna want to know about this._ Ash thought as he looked at the battle between the Loyalist and the Rebels, hoping to see a single chance to let his friends escape.

"This is insane, how the hell are we going to get away from them?" Lilith asked as she slashed out with her whip at another ganger as her Mandibuzz sent an Air Slash at another Beedrill that tried to attack the group before she hovered next to Fletchling. _Well those traitors are escaping with a rearguard, smart but since their leaving I bet Mr. Second in command is going to attack us with all of them, I just hope we can weather it._ Lilith thought as she gripped her whip and her Pokémon gathered around her, keeping.

"Traitor, the boss will hunt you down once he's free!" Tiberius spat as he struck at Alexandr with his hammer and tried to think of anything to help his two Pokémon get a single advantage to turn the battle in his favor.

"Rex has no longer has any legal authority, he'll rot!" Alexandr spat as Lilith started to grin darkly. _So he had legal authority before, something to look into, gotta survive this first._ Ash thought as he looked around and tried to think about what to do to.

Suddenly something hit in the middle of the Loyalist Buzz Lords formation towards and black smog enveloped their Pokémon. Alexandr used Tiberius's distraction to fall back to the others who had rebelled against Tiberius leadership and ran, the others and their Pokémon following. _I don't know what caused that but thanks, I really owe you guys one._ Pikachu tail twitched as a he caught a sent from the smoke and looked about.

"Pika!" Pikachu called out to Ash who stared at the smoke and then turned to Pikachu, a sense of wonder on his face as he remembered just what the smell was and when he'd last smelt something like this. _I haven't smelt something like this since…It can't be, they said they let them go in Johto, but how'd they get to Kalos?_ Ash thought as he looked into the smoke and dared to hope.

"What Now, who the hell is stupid enough to attack us now?!" Tiberius demanded as laughter started to echo from all around them.

"Ask and We'll Answer!" Two voices called out, Ash meanwhile just smirked as he figured out who was here, and the actions the Bug Trainer had done said all that needed to be said of what they would do. _The only times I'm happy to see them are when we're in the thick against people like these. And if I was right its old friends that are new again._ Ash thought as he looked about.

"A flower's face and a willow's waist, she makes the moon abashed and flowers wilt, a single flower of Poison blooming in this fleeting world! Jessie!" A female voice said from the right called out, as a woman who had long fuschia pink hair curled in a comet-tail and wore black shirt that exposes her midriff under a white high collared sleeved shirt emblazoned with a large red R, a white miniskirt, black leg-length boots, and long black arm-sleeves exclaimed as she ran through the Buzz Lords slashing with two knives and ended across from Ash and company.

"One born with exquisite talent and the perfect gentleman, a student of war fighting back against this tragic world; James!" A man in a white long sleeve shirt with a large red R on it and a black short sleeve undershirt with white pants with a purple belt and black boots and matching gloves cried as he charged from the left and slashed at the trainers with a rapier and stopped next to Jessie.

"Walking the same path, the deeds of one are the deeds of all, Meowth's the name!" A voice called out behind the Buzz Lords. A feline pokemon with six whisckers and cream-colored fur and a golden coin on its head appeared and started to slice at the Bug types and moved towards Jessie and James and stop when he was standing between them.

"ARBORK!" A hooded purple serpent Pokémon cried as it burst out of the ground, throwing trainers and Bug types away from it as it slithered towards its trainer.

"WEEZING!" A purple pokemon with a body of a large sphere with a face connected to two smaller ones cried as it spat a black liquid at some of the Bug Pokémon, they winced and whimpered when the liquid hit as Weezing floated towards its comrades.

"Untied once more, Team Rocket's here to brawl!" Jessie said as she spun her daggers with a smirk as Arbork moved behind her and loomed behind her with a Glare.

"Surrender or be prepared for a battle most fierce!" James said as he held his rapier with the point pointed upwards in front of his face as Weezing floated above his head.

"What they said!" Meowth cried out as he extended his claws.

"ARBOK! / WHEEZING!" Arbok and Wheezing cried out as both of them glared at the Buzz Lords as Ash just looked at them and felt a tear leave his eyes as he watched. _Man o man, they have got to tell me just how they found those two again! With their help this might be a lot easier then I feared._ Ash thought as he watched with a smirk as the others looked on in shock.

"Who the hell are you supposed to be?" Tiberius demanded with a snarl as he looked at the two trainers and the three Pokémon as he looked at Meowth in confusion that it was able to speak.

"We're proud members of Team Rocket, and scum like you who hurt people; well we don't need a reason to attack you." Jessie said with a superior smirk on her face as she held her daggers.

"And no one's gonna take Pikachu but us!" James said as he looked at Tiberius with a glare.

"So like that time in Unova twerp?" Meowth asked as he locked eyes with a Pinsir that was eying him.

"I don't know who the hell you think you all but get out of here! You've done nothing to us so leave and I forget you ever….." Tiberius began until Jessie started to laugh and she smirked at him as James snickered.

"So you don't want revenge for the fact we stole all those eggs from your hideout, oh didn't you know that?" Jessie said as she hid her grin behind her hands. Tiberius just looked at her and slowly went red in the face before he exploded

"GET ALL OF THEM, I DON'T CARE HOW!" Tiberius screamed as trainers and Bug Pokemon charged at Team Rocket. Arbok shot forward and coiled around a Heracross and bit it as Weezing spat a blob of black gunk that exploded into smoke when it hit a Crustle and caused it, three other Bugs and their trainers to start to cough and pass out. James dashed at one of the gangers and his rapier flashed, scoring a cut across one of the ganger's eyes and Weezing followed its trainer. Meowth started slashing with his claws at anymon that came close and

You guys stay here, I'll help them then get ready to run." Ash said only for Clemont to stare as he nodded at Pikachu and they charged towards Jessie.

"Ash wait, aren't those the people who tried to steal the Professors Pokemon and almost caused to to fall off that tower?" Clemont demanded as Lilith and Serena both stared in shock before Lilith glared at Team Rocket with Murder in her eyes.

"They're the deadmen?" Lilith demanded as she looked at them. _I think my next message home should include that fact and anything the Prince will tell us about, so his father will know who to murder._ She thought as she giggled darkly, not noticing that Serena was looking at her in confusion.

Jessie saw the gangers coming at her and was prepared to meet them when a bolt of electricity shocked and paralyzed them as Ash and Pikachu made it to her side, a call from Arbok and the two of them ended up fighting back to back with Jessie turned towards her Arbok as it fought off a Scolipede as Pikachu blasted a bolt of electricity at a Whirlipede and its trainer trying to get them from behind her.

"So was that theft your orders or idea? And where'd those two come from?" Ash asked as he blocked a blow from a mace and slashed at the ganger across his brow, sending him back with a curse.

"We were ordered to bring back rare or powerful Pokémon for the boss and a gang's eggs were a prime target, but welllll, James didn't like how their servant's eyes looked." Jessie admitted as she threw one of her daggers at one of the gangers and hit him in his right shoulder. Ash just chuckled as Jessie drew another and looked about for any targets.

"Nice, listen they're not normal. I'm sending something like Plasma to Looker, might run into him if you guys stay around. Listen, the best thing to do is to try and break through Odyssey either to or Lumiose, once they make a mistake rush'em, same rules as whenever we team up?" Ash muttered as Jessie who paled for a second and before she looked at the battle before barking a command.

"Arbok, Poison Sting wide area! Try and get those things poisoned James! Yeah, steal Pikachu next time brat and tell Looker to look into an abandond preserve near Santalune." Jessie said as she dashed forward as Ash blocked a blow and he and Pikachu started to move back towards the others.

"You heard her, Weezing use Sludge Bomb, the big one you told Meowth about!" James called as he dodged a blow from a ganger and Weezing flew upward and hovered while glowing purple before it opened its mouth shot a large dark brown sludge ball that hit a Heracross and exploded, showering the trainers and Pokemon around it in blown sludge, a few trainers suddenly jolted and their faces gained a purple pallor.

Tiberius gritted his teeth and looked around the battle field as Team Rocket started to attack the trainers along the sides and their targets had become a fortress that broke anything that came at them. He sent a glare towards the group that was blocking the way to Lumiose when one of them took a step. _So far their holding us back but each of my boys gets back up after a little medicine, so we just have to outlast them. Not how I thought this would go but we just have to hold and then once we free Rex he can decided what to do._ Tiberius thought as he looked at the battle and tried to think of anything to handle this when suddenly!

"THUNDER!" A savage sounding voice roared from the direction of Odyssey Village before bolts of lightning suddenly shot from the sky and hit the center of the Buzz Lord's formation. The sounds of electricity and a techno beat picked up as a ton of Magnemites and a few Magnetons appeared as a low growl was heard to the east side and a powerful looking Luxray with a saddle with engine like objects on the sides with a rider on its back. He was wearing a yellow bodysuit with a full helmet on his head that hide his whole face while he seemed to project a sense of anger as he looked down at Tiberius. Zebstrika with a feminine looking rider was next to the Luxray as the Steel and Electric Pokémon hovered around the two riders. Ash saw Serena smile when they all heard and he figured this was part of her secrets.

"What fresh hell now?" Tiberius as he looked at the two riders, he suddenly had a terrible feeling; the feeling that this was going to be the worst day of his life. That feeling caused him to take a step backwards and gesture with his hand behind his back for all of his there to do the same. Ash looked at what the Buzz Lords were doing and noticed that the gangers had moved to closer to them, leaving a small space bare that his group could use to escape, but how. He noticed Team Rocket moving slowly towards them and Weezings small head winked at him and he felt a smirk grow on his face.

"Get ready, once I call out we run." Ash said as he nodded at Team Rocket as they moved.

"SO! You and yours like to attack little girls in my town?" The rider said as he held a Pokéball in his hand as Tiberius scowled back at him.

"I don't know who the hell you are but I'll show that nobody messes with the Buzz Lords, not traitors, fools or our targets!" He Bellowed before he roared and charged up at Trainer before Ash suddenly cried out.

"DO IT NOW!" Ash called as Team Rocket joined their side. Everyone in the area suddenly looked at them when James called out.

"GOT IT, WEEZING SMOG AND SPIN!" James cried out as Weezing started to spin and open all three of its mouths and released black smoke that covered the entire area. When the smoke cleared Ash, his friends and Team Rocket were gone. Tiberius's eyes bulged out of his head as his veins suddenly bulged out as he started to hyperventilate. A beeping from the feminine rider caused her to hold up a finger and touch her helmet and nod a few times as Tiberius started to choke before she looked up.

"Time to stop playing Bolt, Amp's brining a few of our worst fan so time to move!" She said before the male rider looked at Tiberius for a few seconds before releasing a sigh and nodded back.

"Well I wanted to beat you down myself but this is better. Guys, USE FLASH!" Bolt cried out as the Magnemite and Magneton suddenly flashed and blinded all. Tiberius blinked and looked; the riders and their Pokemon were all gone.

"Who the hell were those…..?!" Tiberius said as he strangled an invisible entity. A sudden gasp caused him to turn slowly to one of his men who had a look of understanding on his face.

"Something you want to share?" Tiberius asked the ganger who looked at him with a confused look.

"Hey boss, I think those were the Tech Zappers, I heard that might be based around here never really believed it." The ganger answered, not paying attention as the others around him backed off as Tiberius looked at him.

"The who, I've never heard about that gang." Tiberius snarled as he stalked towards the ganger who still didn't understand what was happening.

"There not a gang, there a Street Racing Crew but whose their worst fan?" The ganger asked only for one of the Metal Kaisers to pale and start to whimper. As the others turned to him he stammered out.

"I've been to a race or two; the worst fans are the Police." The ganger said. Tiberius looked at him when they suddenly heard a sound of humming. Looking towards the source of the sound a steel gray disk Pokémon with small ball shaped protrusion on both sides of its body with a horseshoe magnet on the bell pointing down, and a Phillips head screw opposite side, the main body had a large tall, thin, yellow antenna like rod in the center. On the back of the Pokémon on the left side was a seat with a male looking figure had on the same suit that the other two riders had. As they flew overhead Tiberius heard the sound of police sirens in the distance.

A darkened corridor lite by pale red lights from above shinned down as robed figures walked here and there as two of them moved against the flow. They moved among the others and heard scraps of conversation as they went towards their destination. After a while they reached double doors, at the end of which were two Machokes with green cybernetic right eyes and with a cybernetic right arm with a canon on top of the forearm with a claw in place of a normal hand. Both the Pokemon looked at the two people and their right eyes scanned the two people and after the eye flashed the Machoke on the right opened the door while the other bowed to the two people before they walked through the door. They entered a darkened chamber and walked until a spot light shined down on them.

"THE TEST RESULTS?" A mechanical sounding voice asked as the two people stood in the light.

"Battle trial against canis lupis resulted in 20% casualties. Life Chimera Type Insect and Chimera Elemental Beast Fire encountered and dealt with rest of units." The one on the right reported as around them muttering were heard.

"Projected data suggested easier time with non-powered opponents, AI control problems?" A mechanical voice from the left asked as the two people stood in the light.

"Perhaps the canis were of exceptional combat experience, those things have to be to survive in an area with an active Chimera presence." A voice asked as a light shined down to their left. It revealed a man in a red robe stood, he had a bald head and his eyes were covered by a visor. Both hands were clasped behind him and he had an air of pride about him as he stood there.

"While the artificial sect has had the exact results I expected my own research into cyberising Pokémon has gone perfectly. The new material and cybernetic parts had allowed me to design materials that use the Pokémon Aura to handle extremes such as a Flame Charge. I will be ready to start on flying types within the next week or so, I expect great things form Spearow and Pidgey specimens." The man said as he looked at the two people in the light with a smirk on his face.

"PROGRESS ON ELEMENTAL ENERGY?" The Robotic voice from before asked causing the man looked down and seemed to look shamed as he looked down.

"While we have made great strides in detecting the energy, but gathering it without living specimens is still out of reach. I have instructed my assistants to begin tracking down a few evolution stones to compare the power and to find an Eevee or two for a few experiments and evolution." The man said as the muttering around them grew. _Of course they have to talk about what we don't have but what we were able to get done is amazing, why can't they see that?_ He thought as a female voice started to laugh to his left.

"So then you have nothing more beside a few ways to make Fire types more useful to us, and you still haven't cracked the gathering problem?" A haughty female voice asked as another light shined down on a figure in a black baggy robe with its hood up that covered their whole form, a single lock of brown hair that went down to their chest the only thing that was out of place. The man looked angry and stared at the figure as the muttering died down around them.

"And what about you're department then? Have you identified anything about those people?" The man asked as the figure seemed to release a sense of contempt.

"They are old and that Bug that was on the news was one of my best leads. I've decided to look into the region's history; I expect to have something soon." The woman in the robe said as the bald man looked thoughtful at her words. _An oligarchy would explain why they have such strength given time strength is easy to gather. So that means their plans might be extremely complicated or had to wait a long to put it into effect._ The bald man thought as he looked around the room.

"So then our foes here are ancient and powerful, what we have seen they are only loosely allied together, and we're still nowhere near close to finding out who they are, that is that what you're saying?" He asked only to be met with silence. He grinned slyly and smirked. _So I was right, she has nothing. I wonder if I arrange to get her funding cut, if their just researching then they don't need any kind of standing force._ He thought as he looked at her and wondered about how he would use what he knew. Before he could speak up a gong sounded and they all turned towards the door way that opened. A light shined down onto a man in a black body suit and a black biker's helmet in his hands.

"My apology for interrupting my lords but my report was judged too important. Two days ago my squadron was able to capture a target linked to the first international problem on the Kanto Johto border." The biker said causing a storm of conversations start all around them.

"WHAT HAS BEEN DONE TO HER?" The mechanical voice boomed as the biker stood tall.

"Currently she has been taken for a level ten interrogation, after she has been data minded a blank slate was proposed and given her Fire type specialty and power of her normal Pokémon a position as one of the Named was proposed by one of the doctors." The man said as muttering broke out. Before anything else could be said a chime sounded before data on holographic screens appeared before all the people and they all looked it over. The bald man brought a hand to his mouth as he read what was being said, shocked beyond words at what he was shown. _People are able to use elemental abilities, how could they awaken….wait the old beliefs have a basis in facts? I think her department is going to be increased._ The bald man thought as the woman in the robe seemed to go still as she raised a hand and scrolled back up to some of the data they had recovered from their captive.

The female in the robe reread what had caught her eye and she went still. _So human Aura abilities were first found from the ancient past, that's why they've become legend. Does that mean that those I'm hunting have similar abilities; I should advise my forces to catalog what kind of Pokémon they use before engaging any of them._ She thought as she looked round the room and wondered about what this strange information meant. She never noticed that her actions had been observed by the bald man who covertly grabbed a copy of the data with one of his cybernetic implants.

"FULL BRAIN DRAIN AND REFORMATE ON THE SUBJECT. IDINITIY GIVEN; LADY OF FLAME. ALL PROJECTS ON HOLD AS DATA IS REVIEWED TO SEE HOW IT AFFECTS RESEARCH. FOR THE GLORY OF ARCANE SCIENCE!" The robotic voice boomed causing the others to

"FOR THE GLORY OF ARCANE SCIENCE!" Echoed from all around as the people departed from the room. As the female figure walked out of the room the bald man followed after her. When the woman turned down a corridor he followed after her and wasn't surprised to find that she was waiting for him.

"Oh did I take a wrong turn? I guess I was too caught up in my mind and just got a little lost. Now if I go…." He began only for the feminine figure to interpret him.

"Don't patronize me Paré, I know you. What, trying to find out where my new lab is so you can steal my research before I show it to the others?" The figure asked as Paré only gave off an air of innocence.

"You wound me Hertha, I was just trying to get back to my own chambers. But if you find anything about how the ancients gathered Aura I would love to see it." Paré said before he turned and walked off. Hertha watched him go and turned and walked off, Hertha watched him go and stayed there for a few seconds collecting her thoughts before she turned and walked away once she was sure he hadn't left anything to follow her. After a few seconds a yellow Pokemon with a tail, a kite-shaped with a small, pale yellow snout and two short, pointed ears and two brown, pauldron-shaped extensions on its shoulders, as well as a brown, fauld-like piece around its chest. It floated before the woman until she put her hand on its shoulder before it disappeared from the hallway, the last link in her internal security. They reappeared in a large room with many books and soft opera music playing and a female teen around fifteen years watering a few plants. She was dressed in a brown robe that went to the floor and she had brown hair in a twin tale style. She looked up and smiled when she saw that the Pokémon had returned with Hertha.

"Hertha!" The teen said as she lunged for her and hugged her around the waist. Hertha only laughed lightly and rubbed the girls head and smiled down at her. The girl looked up and smiled at her as

"When you went to that meeting and that scumbag, I was sure he would bring up trouble like last time!" The girl said as she hugged Hertha.

"Don't worry Nerthus, it went fine. In fact we might get more resources after all." Hertha said as Nerthus stepped back and smiled at her.

"Really Hertha? We won't be reassigned?" Nerthus asked as she looked at Hertha with hope. Hertha nodded at the younger girl and the girl straightened up and saluted her.

"Your orders mam?" Nerthus asked as she looked at her mistress as she saluted her.

"Start looking into the Kalos War for the Crown. Identify all the ancient families that had leadership positions and start tracking down their descendants, identify if any of the ancients had Type specialties. And don't rush little sister, we have a bit of time and some new data to digest." Hertha said as a holo screen appeared and displayed the results of the interrogation. Nerthus stared to run over it and a looked up at her with a smirk.

"Got it sis! Man, look like myths and fables have a basis in fact after all, I wonder if folk tales are like that too?" Nerthus asked herself as she walked towards a doorway and Hertha looked at the interrogation results, going over it slowly to notice any details that might be relevant to her research.

Back in the main complex Paré walked through a doorway into a chamber guarded by two Lucario with metal fists with wires leading to a strange backpack standing guard before a doorway. He walked towards the door and it opened on its own and he walked into a chamber with large glowing tubes full of a green glowing liquid with metallic humanoid body parts floating in them. He walked to a terminal and sat down to a computer that he booted it up and opened up a chatroom.

CyDoc: All operatives, new orders. Track down all legends of Aura use, all ritual in legend and lore. I want everything as soon as possible, payment first come first served.

A few minutes later the words GracefulLady has signed in, DracoEmber has signed in and the typing symbol was show under GracefulLady icon before text appeared.

GracefulLady: Aura hu, I was wondering if you would ever look into that old man.

He looked at the text for a few seconds before he started to glare at the screen.

CyDoc: YOU KNEW HUMAN AURA WAS A THING?! Why didn't you say anything about it, after all the mission you've done!

Doc, talking about Aura if someone doesn't know it, it can't be done. There are measures in place that keep people from talking and texting about it, I don't doubt that this will be whipped in hours at most.

Paré only looked at the words and couldn't comprehend just how that could be possible, his mind going over AI behavior and what could have been done to _people_ to keep them from talking and couldn't find anything that he could think of that would do both.

CyDoc: Fine, I want all ways to gather and hold Aura energy; get me the information as soon as you can. Grade 3 payment, one who gives me the most gets grade 2.

He signed out and looked around his lab, his face lit by the tubes around him and sighed, wondering just what he could find and how he could use this information on his path to become leader of the Cult.

Squall sighed as he walked through the passageways of his ship as they finally started moving again. _A simple trip up the coast, nothing will happen_. _Next time I'm looking for a longer contract into international waters after we get a few more weapons on this thing._ Squall thought with a scowl as he as walked up a staircase onto the deck and saw the remains of combat being repaired here and there, looking at the starboard side he saw ropes that lashed their prize to the ship, a serpent type Water Chimera with a large crystalline horn had attacked them when they had passed between the shore and a reef on the border of the Valley and Desert Domains. He, his crew and their teams had barely been able to kill the Chimera before it had damaged the ship enough that they had to run it aground to repair it, that took two days and then waiting for the next high tide had let them get back underway took up more time.

"Still can't believe that that she was able to reflect that last blast away at the end, note to self, never get on the bad side of that woman." He mused as he walked by his crew going about their duties. He looked up and saw a purple monkey Pokémon with a three-fingered hand on its tail standing by the side of the ship near a few ropes, the same ropes lashing the Chimera to the ship and Squall sighed and walked over to it. Hearing someone walking towards it the Pokémon turned and smiled when it saw

"Hello Aipom, where's your trainer?" Squall asked before it motioned to two ropes hanging over the side and he just sighed and moved towards the railing when he saw the ropes jerk and the Apiom stare for a few seconds before grabbing a winch and start turning a crank fast, so fast that a few seconds later a teen Squalls age flew over the railing and landed on the deck. He had black eyes and short black hair and he was wearing a green vest with pockets over a brown shirt and green pants. He groaned he covered his eyes and slowly got to his feet.

"I believe I said fast, not like a maniac Aipom, oh never mind where's….SQUALL, there you are, we have to move, we have to leave this place now!" He said with a…scared look in his eyes. _He's scared? The man who stood down a Goliath-class Battle Homunculus and laughed as he readied his weapon is scared._ Squall thought as he reached for his friend and grasped his shoulder.

"Calm down Firouz, take a breath and explain what's wrong?" Squall said with force and Firouz took a deep breath and looked out at the other side of the ship at the sea, in the direction of the reef with a scared look on his face, he just sighed and spoke softly.

"The thing that attacked us, it's a _Lesser_." Firouz said as Squall stared before he started to understood what had heard, paling as he did so. _It was a Lesser, but then!_ Squall thought before he moved towards the bridge, Firouz and his Pokémon falling into step behind him.

"This is insane, the size alone!" Squall bit out as they rushed across the deck. Firouz just nodded as he followed his captain and bit back a curse. _I was right to think it went down too easy! I need finish my 'special' project soon!_ Firouz thought as he gathered his thoughts.

"I know, but my machine showed the mutation gland wasn't active, it didn't show any of the signs of use it should have picked up." Firouz said as they reached the bridge tower and entered the ship's superstructure. As they moved through Squall tried to think what this meant. _A Lesser Chimera is usually sent out by a Regular or Greater as a scout. The recent news about this section of the coast said nothing about any Chimera so I thought this thing was a wonderer that found its way here!_ Squall thought as he reached the door to the bridge. Throwing open the door with a bang Squall entered the room and saw Doubar far back as their two members of their crew operated their stations. Doubar turned when he heard the door open and smiled at who he saw enter the bridge.

"Ah Squall there you are! We're finally underway, the damages have been repaired and…." He trailed off as he saw the look on Squall's face.

"All ahead half speed! Firouz get on the sonar and let me know if we detect anything at all, anything!" Squall interrupted him as Firouz went to another station on the bridge and started to manipulate it. Doubar looked on as Squall walked towards the intercom and pressed it.

"All hands to battle stations, I repeat all hands to battle stations! Samelia I hope you've recovered enough but get to the deck now! Doubar with me, Firouz you take command here and let me know if anything comes at us!" Squall said as he turned and left the bridge, Doubar looked at Firouz as he operated the radar before hurrying after Squall. _What in the world, okay what the problem? We killed the Chimera, we're back underway and the repairs aren't that bad so we'll still make it to port on time for the contract to get a bonus so what could be the problem?_ Doubar thought to himself as he rushed after Squall.

"Mind telling me what fresh hell we're going into brother?" Doubar as he finally reached Squall and saw him release his Chatot and Golduck as he drew his cutlass.

"That's what I'd like to know lover." A feminine voice called from behind Squall. The two of them turned and saw a woman walking towards them. She was wearing a black top and pants that hugged her curvy figure with a belt with pouches around her waist with a scowl on her face as she walked towards them. She had long platinum hair, red eyes and she had black lipstick on and by her side were two Pokémon, a large, navy blue, penguin-like Pokémon and a golden-white fur fox like Pokemon with nine tails with a tiara with a red gem in the center on its head.

"Long story short, what we brought down was a Lesser Chimera." Squall said causing Doubar and the woman to stare at him before they both looked towards the open sea as Doubar released two Pokemon, one brown owl with wings in the shape of wedges with darker brown triangle pattern of feathers running down its chest and a humanoid bulky blue toad with speaker-like bumps cyan with black edges on the back of its hands, shoulder and above its red eyes. As the woman looked towards the Chimera corpse as the ship increased speed and swore.

"A scout, it was a scout!?" She exclaimed as she reached for her belt and fingered the pouches as she tried to see if she could _sense_ anything. As Squall nodded as he gripped his cutlass as he looked about and scowled. _That makes sense but why didn't whatever sent it out strike at us while we were beached, was it waiting for us to drop our guard?_ Squall thought as he fingered one of his Pokéball.

"IN COMING FROM THE STARBOARD SIDE! AT LEAST 3 LARGE OBJECTS WITH SMALLER ONES HIDDING IN THEIR WAKE!" Firouz voice came over the broadcast system and the crews on the deck looked about and saw the three trainers standing with their teams, and when they saw Squall's blade drawn some paled in freight.

"ALL PERSONAL RETREAT AND HOLD THE DOORS! LOCKDOWN THE TOWER AND PREPARE TO REPEAL!" Squall bellowed as Doubar drew his two hammers as his Pokemon prepared for battle as Squall released his Goldduck and his Chatot as his crew followed his orders, running to doors and some dashing towards the bridge tower. As they reacted two serpents the same as the one that they had killed but with ten sleek bumps on their bodies. The trainers and their Pokémon wondered just what this strange mutation of the Chimera meant and suddenly one of the Chimera drew its head back until it suddenly it threw its head forward and the shells shot off the Chimera! Squall watched as the shells unfolded four limbs and a head and tail. The forelimbs ended in five fingered crystalline claws and Squall noticed one had a curved crystal horn. {[Shellmen]}

"Ninetales, let fly Will-O-Wisp!" "Chatot Hypervoice on the serpent with shells!" "Seismitoad use Focus Blast on the serpent without shells!" The woman, Squall and Doubar ordered their Pokémon, Ninetails spread its tails as nine balls of fire formed at the tails tips and shot at the falling creatures while Chatot flew upward before firing a blast out of its open mouth at the serpent with shells still on and the Seismitoad brought its hands together and shot a ball of blue energy at the serpent without shells. The fireballs hit five of the Shellmen and the explosion sent them into the ocean. The Hypervoice attack gorged the serpent it was targeting and destroyed its right eye and the other serpent's shells were hit and three of them fell off. The Shellman with the horn and the other four landed on the deck and looked about, seeing the crew members running and moved towards the bridge. "We need one intact!" Squall bellowed as he shot forward with his Golduck ran after him with a light blue aura around its hands, Squall's blade started to glow a deep blue and he slashed through one of Shellmen's neck as it tried to claw him. Golduck jumped and punched the horned Shellman before it could react, a sheet of ice forming around it locking it in place.

"You keep the rest off us; we'll handle those things before backing you up Samelia!" Doubar cried as ran towards Squall and the Chimera as Samelia looked shocked for a few seconds.

"DON'T GIVE ME ORDERS YOU IDIOT!" Samelia screamed as she and her two Pokémon ran towards the starboard side. _Off course he would give me the worst part of this shit storm! Still a few spells will probably keep those things from climbing up and I did keep the last one at bay for a few seconds but two on one?_ Samelia thought as she looked at the water and pulled out a bluish white gemstone from one of her pouches and threw it up and caught it in the hand that had thrown it and smirked.

"First rule, immobilize then divide, so let's start with Blast!" She cried as her hand glowed white before a blast of whitish blue energy shot from it and hit the ocean where the two serpents were at and froze the area around them for a good ten feet and freezing at least halfway up the serpents. _Okay so that's those handled for now but what about the ones Ninetails hit?_ She wondered before she heard the sound of metal tearing and looked over the side she saw the other five climbing up the ship's hull.

"Empoleon, use Metal Claw on any of them that make it over the side, Ninetails keep up the Will-O-Wisp at the serpents!" She ordered as she looked at the two serpents as they tried to break her ice. As she watched them climb up she searched threw her pack and finally smiled when she pulled out a veil of a block liquid as she looked over the side and smiled darkly down at the climbing Chimera.

As Doubar slammed one of his hammers into one of the Shellmen and propelled it over the side he smirked as saw the ice creeping up the serpents. He dodged a blow from the one of the last two and his Seismitoad slammed into it and jabbed it with a purple glowing hand before Doubar smashed its head in when it was dazed. Squall had danced around his opponent and slashed where its neck met the shell and the Chimera died in a spray of blood. Looking about he noticed the horned one and looked at

"So, leaving it intact to show the people at port?" Doubar asked as Squall just nodded as his sword lost its glow.

"Intact corpses are always better, this way we can get better bounty then just the serpent, wait, where's….. " Squall trailed off at a sudden noise.

"NINETAILS, FLAMETHROWER! BURN YOU FREAKS, BURN!" Samelia cackled as they suddenly smelled something burning. Turning their heads they saw Samelia and her Pokémon as smoke rose from just beyond the railings and for a second she looked radiant.

"You sent her to stop the other shells from boarding us, didn't you?" Squall asked only for Doubar to throw his head back and laugh.

"Well I see your girl's pyromania is still strong." Doubar said with a deadpanned look on his face as she started to fire blasts at the two serpents with her Pokémon backing her up. As the ship picked up speed Squall looked at the serpents and walked towards them, his blade starting to glow blue as he walked. As soon he had a clear line of sight at the serpents he slashed downward, after he did so a circle of water formed where from his blades point and formed a wave of blue energy that shot at the two serpents and pushed them backwards, their unfrozen bodies the only part of them standing upright. As they moved out of sight and the smoke died down Samelia walked over to him and put her finger on Squall's chest as she glared at him.

"When we get to the next domain you are so taking me out for dinner sailor boy!" She said before she walked with a swing in her step to return to her cabin, her Pokémon bowing to Squall as they passed and followed after their trainer. Squall only looked confused for a few seconds before the low chuckles of his Golduck and the grin on Doubar's face caused him to scowl at him.

"Oh you just stay and take the corpses to the second hold, and make sure nothing gets on the ship!" He barked before he headed towards the rear of the ship to stand guard, making sure nothing else threatened them.

The two serpents stared after the prey-thing as their surviving lesser gathers worked to free them from the ice. The creatures were stronger than they had indicated and they wasn't even enough of the remains of the gathers to bring back a good fed. A spark of aura shot from one of the serpents and hit the other.

 **[Our lord will not be happy with this.]** The second heard in its head as the aura bolt hit it. It sent another bolt at the other one and looked down as the gathers started to chip away the ice holding it in place. It looked at the other and sent a bolt at it.

 **[We carried out the plan and the fact that the idiot attacked such a power is on it not us.]** The first heard as it looked at the gathers as they worked. The first looked conflicted and growled as it felt the ice begin to loosen and it sent another Aura bolt at the second.

 **[Then shall we return to the pack and suggest that a flyer goes out and tries to find them, their powers would be of use to us.]** The second heard and looked around as it collected it thoughts. After a few moments it sent another bolt at the first one and raised its head to slam into the ice, helping the smaller Chimera break it loose.

 **[No, the others on the mobile might notice us, they have started to scout out our territory lately and they can't gain that power.]** The first received and then felt the ice start to crack until the two of them floated free on the water. As it felt the gathers latch on it the second looked at the boat and saw Squall standing there looking right at it and starred back for a few seconds before turning to its comrade and dove under the water. As the second dived and followed its fellow a bolt of aura hit its horn.

 **[At worst we can blame the ones who died, they weren't able to stop it after all. And I want us away from that one; something about it reminded me of the few ambassadors that that pack leader sent.]** __The second stopped and swam after the first fast enough to be level with it before sending a bolt that hit its horn.

 **[Food reminded you of those of that one, why?]** The first received and swam silently for a few more moments before it sent a bolt back at the second.

 **[I sensed something about it, something I only felt when that one's get came.]** The Second received and swam towards the surface and looked back at the _Graceful Traveler_ as it speed away and wondered if its comrade was jumping at shadows. All in all it could only hope that its group would find something to bring back to feed the group, something that might make keep them off the menu.


	19. Chapter 19

Hey all, its been two months sorry, writes block like you wouldn't believe and I'm still looking for that new job, I hope to have something within the next few weeks sooo… here's hoping! And a little note, I mixed up the meaning of a few words in a two characters description so I'll tell you what their update descriptions will be and the their on the list of fix its I'm going to do when I repost the prevue's chapters, see I'm going to go over the prevue's chapters and work over them for the third university of this thing and something else I have in the works so I hope you enjoy it all and this chapter! And I promise that I will try and have a new one out in August while I work on it and my three connected story project!

A red head in a blue dress with a black backpack on walked through Pallet Town and frowned as she stared around at what she saw, trees had fallen over and a few of the building here and there were damaged, people and Pokemon repairing them as others carried materials here and there. _I knew that the hurricane was going to hit the town, I mean we get hit once every few years but this bad?_ _At least most of Pallet's still standing and the recovery seems to be underway._ She thought as she walked through the town and moved towards the commercial area and saw tents and people near Pallet House and smiled, something never changed.

As she walked up she saw people in line for soup and slipped into the restaurant and saw that people had pushed the a few tables together and a map of Pallet was on them. The Mayor and Professor Oak and Delia were talking as she walked over to them. The mayor was the same as ever, a man around Professor Oak's age, bald with squinty eyes and he was dressed in his customary white suit but he had a few signs of how the stress was affecting him as he rubbed his head with a cloth held in a shaky hand.

"….everything point to the hurricane just hitting us as a glance', I love weather reports so much. The damage to the school will have it closed for months and the only good point is that the way into town is fine but with the attack Viridian suffered I don't expect much help from them." The Mayor said as Delia reached over and patted his shoulder.

"Terry it could have been a lot worse, we're just lucky the school year is almost over, a few tests the kids could do at home while we can focus on repairing the school. And a few more hands to help out around town as runners or general helpers, well that's just as good." Pr. Oak said as he looked at the map and just sighed as he shook his head.

"If you didn't have the wires from your lab underground to those places we wouldn't have power Sam, and I know you had to have a hand in what's happening in Viridian, so do you know anything?" Mayor asked only for Pr. Oak to sigh and smile bitterly.

"You've always knew how to read me Terry, what gave me away?" Pr. Oak asked as he shook his head.

"You're not champing at the bits to go there and dissect them for starters Sam, so what do you know. If those things could attack the town while we're still recovering I need to know!" Terry demanded as he pounded the table. Pr. Oak just held up his hands before he started to speak.

"So far they haven't been seen away from Victory Road, and they think the den of these things is somewhere in the mountains there. And last I saw Lance had gotten involved and was putting together a strike force to kill them at their heart….Miss Joan, welcome back. If you're here then I suspect that either the airport or the nearby port is open or did you come by Pokémon." Pr. Oak said as he caught sight of Joan at the open door. Delia smiled and walked over and gave her a hug before pulling back.

"Joan, it's great to see you! But I wished you had come home to something in better shape." Delia said as she looked outside and saw the people sitting around or coming and going from the area around the restaurant.

"Yeah, when I reach Hamlin Island and heard about the hurricane I knew I had to get home so I put most of the product I brought onto a cargo plane and had my Lapras carry me back to shore. If everything goes right we should get it once the airport's open again and it's in refrigerated storage so there's that. Got a few samples though but where do you need me boss." Joan said as she looked Delia as she stepped back.

"In the kitchens, we're making soup around the clock and the mayor turned over the disaster supplies since the school's kitchens are damaged so we're it for everyone with damaged homes. And since the port was hit, which you had to have seen, the next shipment of food might be a bit late so let's hope that what's happening in Viridian is handled soon." Delia said as Joan nodded at her. _So like the last time there was a crisis big enough that we had to become the town's kitchen then. And if their covering the food then we won't go under and we'll be able to not have to make bland stuff, good._ Joan thought as she nodded to Delia as she walked away towards the kitchen.

"And on that note, what's the estimate on the harbor?" Pr. Oak asked as Terry sighed.

"The damage to the docks aren't that bad but we, and I do mean we three, have to decide if we should repair it. The materials needed could do a lot more and we don't know anything the harbor, got any underwater cameras we can us on Pokémon Sam?" Terry asked as Joan went into the kitchen and saw people moving all over, some checking on soups and others cleaning bowls and spoons as people moved about. One of them noticed her walking into the room and stopped, smiled and when others noticed, turned their glaze to the door and smiled.

Joan smiled as she looked over **her** kitchen and shook her head. "Well, what are you all standing around for? Get back to work you slackers! I want to know how long until the next batch of food is ready and how many bowls and spoons are clean!" She barked as she dropped her pack and grabbed a spare apron.

Albia carried a box of food as she walked back towards the kitchen, a frown on her face as she moved. The hurricane had speed up and she had been forced to bunk with Amanda and their plans to get that mime had failed. _We have to find a way to get it alone, maybe if we can have a excuse to go into the woods with Delia we can split up and fake a Chimera attack or something, we have to get it away from Delia at the very least!_ She thought as she walked into the kitchen, stopping when she heard the cry.

"YES CHIEF!" She looked up at the cry and saw all the people get back to work, looking about she saw a woman with. _So that must be miss Joan, if she was right then she's someone we can trust._ She thought as she put the box down and walked towards Joan.

"You must be that new girl Delia took in, your names Albia right?" Joan said as she saw noticed Albia.

"Yeah, and your Joan right, it's nice to meet you." Albia said as she nodded.

"Thanks, so how's everything at the stores, you came back from there right?" Joan asked as she led the way to an empty station.

"Yeah, everything is going good there, we're only about halfway through the first row of supplies and well lunch should be soon. I saw that the works on the first few houses should be finished before nightfall and the lunch rush is probably a good hour or two away." Albia said as she followed.

Outside the restaurant Tom brought the building supplies down and wiped his forehead as he looked around at how much everyone was working to repair the damage and felt a little bit of nostalgia, he'd been a disaster volunteer back home for a good few years and this was what he did whenever something bad happened so he was used to the work and the fact that he was near his Queen was perfect. After everything he had learned, from the way she carried herself to the runes Sapphire saw on her, they were all sure she was who they had hoped she was. _And now we just have to deal with that Mime and then stay on station until we get orders. I really hope we get the go ahead to take that bitch out for a proper sentencing back home._ He thought as he looked towards the restaurant for a few more seconds before moving back towards a truck with supplies on it.

"So photo boy, saw you watching the House pretty hard, anything we should know about that?" A voice asked, causing him to look up at three men his age looking at him with hard looks and he swallowed, something telling him to tread carefully here.

"Guys, it's nothing really, I'm just a little shocked that the owner would volunteer her business so fast, most people I know would try and take advantage of this." Tom said as the three men started to relax and one of the smirked a little

"That's Mrs. Ketchum for ya! A heart of gold no matter what happens, and the last time this happened the emergency supplies were hit and she fed the town for a weak out of her own pocket!" The smirker said as another one started to grin as he picked up a bag of cement.

"Yeah but the mayor let her write it off as a tax deductible and she made it even last I heard, smart lady that one." He said as he cried the bag towards another part of the site. Tom looked at the last two and moved to help them carry something and decided to check and see what the town knew about her past.

"Say what happened to her husband anyway? I've never seen or heard anything about him since I've been in town, shouldn't she have called for him or something?" He asked and felt them stop and look at him over their shoulder, the looks on their faces

"She would if she could, but she and her son came wandering into the town with nothing but the cloths on her back and clutching her son." One of them said as they looked down and Tom felt a shiver of fear as he tried not to think about what the boss would do when he sent in the report about this.

"Old man Port, he took 'em in and gave the place to her when he retired. Whenever she tries and thinks about who ever she married she gets such migraines, I've seen her driven to her knees in pain." The other guy said as the first man came back.

"If anyone of us could figure out what happened to her and what did it, I think we'd all want five minutes alone with it each." The man said with a growl as confirmations came from all around them, Tom looking to see that the people around had stopped and heard what was being said before they all got to work.

The laughter caused him to turn and look at two young teens, one of them manage to wheeze out. "Remember what happened to the last 'false father' Ash dealt with before his journey? I still lose it when I go past that place!"

Tom looked at the kids before looking at the people who he was working with and one of them laughed darkly.

"Yeah, her son Ash really protects her, and he has a thing about getting revenge on people trying to use what happened to them as part of a plan to profit from them. And she's not so pure when people bother her son when they try to seduce her." Tom felt a little light headed as he slowly started to remember a few stories that had gone around the forces about how protective and inventive the boss was during his younger days when people tried to take advantage of those he cared for, and a few stories about the queen that were told in the dark places, stories of vengeance and mayhem that she had unleashed over her own journey.

"Daddy!" A voice caused Tom to look up and see Saph running towards him with Rachel not too far behind her.

"Hey Princess, how've you been?" Tom asked as he looked at Saph as she stood before him smiling at him.

"Great Daddy, Aunty and I helped feed the Pokémon at the ranch!" Saph said as Tom looked at Rachel who nodded at him and he smiled. _With those two giving our guys the opening we have a few special spy cams to get a view on Oak, if he's connected the Order through that bitch then we have a new target before we leave here._

"Did you have fun and help your aunty out." Tom asked as he looked at Saph as he carried the bag he was helping move as they walked with him.

"Uh…. Mr. Sketch had to help me when the bag I was carrying broke, he thinks it might have gotten ripped a little when that big old storm came through, but he helped me clean it up." Saph said as they followed him, a smirk telling him all he needed to know

Broken Sting led the way as the grown pack moved away from the mountains. Healer rode on Dark Flare as Protector and Gazer walked next to Twin Sting as the other Goblins followed behind. _I never knew that it feels so good to have comrades, I mean when Dark Flare started to travel with me, I mean I just felt that I had to go that way and found power to get me over the river and then I found those creatures attacking Dark Flare and then he joined me, something told me to spit that evolution serum over the meat I offered, I still don't understand how I grew smarter after he joined me, I mean before I met him I just existed, and not even those two made me grow._ Broken Sting thought as it moved along its tail ached where it had been cut but it ignored the ache and moved on, not noticing the twitch his of his tail.

Protector walked with Gazer and frowned, something was wrong it could tell, but before Protector could even think about it a jolt of Aura hit it. **[That traitor is after something, I don't know what but I know it only worked with our maker for its own benefit kindred.]** __Protector heard from Gazer and smiled, at least the way they could communicate had gotten a lot better but they still need something better, it could _taste_ that there was something but he didn't know what it was. It gathered its thoughts and sent a bolt at Gazer who caught it in its hand.

 **[Your right Gazer, but we can't let that affect us, we have to move away from this place and maybe one day we can deal with those two, now we have to keep our own alive.]** Gazer just kept moving and nodded, but its mind was a few miles ahead. _Protector's right but by creation, I want to kill them. They led us to an ambush and if I didn't see the hole we would have been crushed, the kid didn't deserve to go out like that._ Gazer thought as it looked back at the others and frowned, its _eye_ saw something following behind them for a second before it disappeared. Gazer dropped back, slowing its speed until it was next to Dark Flare and sent a blast of Aura at it.

 **[We're being followed, do you smell anything?]** Dark Flare kept moving calmly but it shot a look with its eye at Gazer who nodded. Dark Flare scowled flared its nostrils before its front paws flexed its claws before it sent a bolt back at Gazer as Healer looked on, wondering what was happening.

 **[Three of them at least, the metallic humanoid creature with spikes on their hands. They've been around others, very recent. Think they'll try and get us when we're weak?]** Gazer heard and nodded before sending blots at Broken Sting, Protector and Dark Flare.

 **[I saw something and asked Dark Flare if it smelled anything, some of those metallic humanoids are following us, anyplace ahead where they can attack us?]** Broken Sting kept moving and Protector stopped for a second before moving forward shooting a glare at Gazer who nodded back before turning back to the front. Broken Sting looked ahead and frowned as it remembered just what was before them. _The river's deep enough for the little ones to be up to their waists to cross, and that's not counting me and Dark Flare, so that's where they'll strike. Its creatures not others like us so their Sire isn't behind this, one of the local powers Dark Flare told me about but why… we can make our stand at the river._ It thought as it led the way, its damaged tail twitching in a way that it felt was important but why it couldn't say.

Farther back a Lucario frowned as it looked at the _monsters_ they were hunting. Their lady had ordered the attack on the humanoid ones after they had lost but then one of the squads that went out and now their team of 3 Shadows [Lucarios] and 6 soldiers[ Machops] had found a party of the Ogre's spawn and two _others_. They had to be bringing the two others to a place the Ogre had instructed them to, if the Ogre was changing its tactics! One of the Shadows had gone to get reinforcements and the others had decided to attack. It felt a hand on its shoulder and saw the other Shadow look at it with a knowing look, guessing that it was worried about

"Luca cario." It reassured its comrade and nodded at it before jumping into the trees as the Soldiers moved through the trees, hoping to catch their prey. The first Shadow stayed, it thought it had seen something dart between the creatures but it was had to have been a trick of the light, it had no idea what else it could have been.

As the group moved towards the river Healer looked between Broken Sting and Protector, it was sure that they were conversing between them and it was sure it was about something important. As Protector moved a branch aside this time Healer was sure Broken Sting sent a broadcast to Protector as it passed by. It shot a bolt at Dark Flare and waited for a reply.

 **[Something's happening isn't it? Are we in danger?]** Dark Flare kept moving and after a few seconds a bolt flashed to Protector who looked back at Healer who met its eyes with its own and after a few seconds Protector nodded twice at Healer and sent a bolt at it.

 **[Yes, we're being tracked by creatures, we're going to make it that we're going to cross but really we're going to face them there, stay near Gazer when it happens.]** Healer heard and looked ahead with a thousand yard started before sending a bolt at Gazer.

 **[How many are there, can you** _ **see**_ **them all?]** Gazer chuckled, Healer might not be that strong but that was nothing that a good blessing wouldn't cure! There was a great brain on that one's shoulder and it was smart enough to try and survive with all the information it could have. Gazer sent a look behind it, hiding it by making a few motions at Healer before sending a bolt at it.

 **[No, but Broken thinks we're almost to the river, get ready to stay to get off our friend. ]** Healer swung itself off of Dark Flare and nodded to it when it looked back and moved to walk with Gazer, Gazer stopped and shook its head before moving again, a small laugh from the others causing Gazer to move forward with a spring in its step.

When Broken Sting reached the river it looked around, noting that the area was perfect for what they needed, the river was far enough from the tree line that they would see anything that charged them, nothing could sneak up on them and the river just had regular fish in it, no creatures or others. As the other Goblins moved towards the river Gazer walked ahead of the others and turned when one of them fell, clutching its arm. As it whimpered Gazer looked at it and sent a bolt at Broken Sting, Dark Flare and Protector.

 **[There's one of them in the second tallest tree to the right, another at the bushes near that rock!]** Broken Sting raised its pincers and shot blasts of scalding water at the tree while Dark Flare shot flames at the bushes. As the top of the was blasted off by water and the bush caught fire, two Lucarios jumped free and stood by as eleven Machop in armor come out the forest. Healer moved behind Gazer and Broken Sting looked at the creatures before them and sent bolts at every one of its allies.

 **[Gazer, Healer stay behind and help anyone who drops back, Protector, Dark Flare hand the two leggers. Everything else, we handle the rest of those things!]** Broken Stings orders were met with a roar from the Goblins, Protector and Dark Flare as they shot forward! Broken fired blasts of water at the Mahops as the Goblins charged, Protector ran at the Lucario from the bush as Dark Flare dashed towards the other one.

Protector slashed out with its glowing claws of one of its hands and the Lucario parried the blow with the spike on its right hand and shot out a fast left jab at Protector's head, but Protector dodged the blow and punched with its other hand and hit the Machop's left eye, scratching the organ and causing the Pokémon to cry out in pain.

Dark Flare charged at its target, sending blast of fire that caused the Lucario to jump and spin as it dodged the fire, firing a ball of blue energy that hit Dark Flare and forced it to stumble that turned into a roll that caused the fire of its mane to cover its body and shot at the Lucario, hitting it and burning it before Dark Flare go back to its feet and smirked as it saw its weakened foe.

The Goblins clashed with the Machops as Broken Sting fired blasts of boiling water at two of the Machops that charged at it. When one got to close Broken Sting grabbed it around its neck and used it as a club on the other one until it felt the bones in its neck break and flung the body away, looking at it opponent and Broken Smiled when it saw the Machop favoring one of its arms. Taking a moment to look at the battle Broken Sting saw one of the Goblins fighting two of the Machops, swiftly dodging the blows until it was able to use its claw to cut one of the two Machops neck, releasing a torrent of blood that sent it to the ground dead, the other one backing up shakily. Before it could run Broken Sting scalded it and the Goblin nodded before running towards the others, hopping to help others.

Dark Flare looked at its opponent and shot another blast of fire at it that it blocked with a round energy shield it formed and kept between it as it moved towards the river, hoping to use the water to heal its burns. As it felt the burn flare again, it reached the water and jumped in, ducking under to escape from Dark Flare's sight. Dark Flare looked at the water and its checks bulged, before it released a large amount of fire that hit the river, creating steam as Dark Flare looked for any sign of its opponent, suddenly Lucario shot up from the river and threw a blue energy ball at it, the ball hit the ground and created a smokescreen that blinded Dark Flare. A sudden blow to Dark Flare's right side sent it flying, the smoke revealing the Lucario it had been fighting getting out of a kick and glare at Dark Flare, a superior smirk on its muzzle as it cracked its hands as Dark Flare got back to its feet and growled, flames coming from its muzzle before it lunged at the Fighting type.

Protector blocked a blow and punched at Lucario with its free hand and scored a cut above both of Lucario's eyes. As the blood flowed into the eye that Protector had punched, causing the Machop to wince in pain and Protector tried to strike that side, hoping to kill it before it could escape. _I have to finish this creature, if they do have a bigger group then they might chase us down, and no matter how strong we are if they send numbers at us then they will eat us!_ Protector thought as it focused on the Lucario. The Lucario looked at it with its good eye as blood dripped into it, causing it to blink, giving the chance that Protector was waiting for! It dashed in and slashed its neck into ruins, red staining its fur as its arms went to it, hoping to stop the flow of its life blood before its body dropped to the ground. Protector looked around and saw Dark Flare was handling the last Lucario and it dashed to help, knowing once they were finished they could clean up the smaller ones.

Broken Sting blasted scalding water at the Machops as the Goblins finished them off as they were stunned and looked and saw Protector charge to help Dark Flare and roared as another Goblin killed a Machop, leaving only five of them for them to deal with before a blast of energy hit it as another Lucario and five more Machops charged out of the forest and Protector stopped before it was hit with an aura bolt. **[Go help our comrade Protector, we can handle those things for as long as it takes you to help Dark Flare!]** Protector heard before looked back and saw Broken Sting use its good stinger to jab at the Lucario as it blasted water at the charging Machops and nodded before dashing towards Dark Flare's battle.

Dark Flare spat a blast of fire at Lucario and grinned when the flames hit, forcing it backwards before Protector appeared and slashed its back, scoring bleeding cuts as the Lucario looked over its shoulder for a second, taking its gaze off Dark Flare for a single second, a mistake that would be its last. Dark Flare jumped straight at Lucario and forced it to the ground, and before it could react clamped its jaws around the Lucario's neck and blasted fire into it, ruining its neck and killing it. Dark Flare looked up from its kill and saw the remaining battle; Broken Sting was holding off the Lucario while the five Machop were firing blasts of energy at the Goblins who had moved to hide behind Gazer's shield as Healer used its powers on an injured Goblin's arm. It looked at Protector and sent an aura bolt at it. **[Should we deal with the blue one or the others?]** Protector looked at Dark Flare and pointed towards the Machops and Dark Flare nodded before it ran after Protector as they charged at the Machops.

Lucario dodged another blow from Broken Sting's tail and smirked before a cry from the Machop's it brought caused it to jump backwards and move so it could see Broken Sting and look at the Machops, causing it to wince as it saw Protector and Dark Flare wade into them. As the first one died the Goblins rallied and charged at the Machops Lucario knew the battle was lost. It had to retreat and tell its leaders what had happened, if those two were allied to the Ogre as the presence of its spawn showed then they had to be told. Lucario charged at Broken Sting, dodging blasts of water and jumped over it and shot into the trees as the last Machop died.

As the Chimera looked at the food they had earned Broken Sting saw Protector look into the forest and frown before Broken Sting sent an aura bolt at it. **[Worried about the last one?]** Protector heard as it turned and sent a bolt back at Broken Sting.

 **[We should leave as soon as we can, that one will be back with reinforcements before too long. So do you want anything?]** Broken Sting looked over the food and wondered if it should change, just what it would take if anything at all.

Lucario jumped from tree to tree as it moved, hoping against hope that it wasn't being pursed. Even when it had gotten there with reinforcements they had still all been slain, only its quick thinking had enabled it to escape. As the Lucario jumped from tree to tree air it heard the sounds of something moving through the foliage below it and stopped, hiding in the branches of a tree until it could identify the source. It saw one of the Machops running for all its worth towards the base and frowned, this was a problem. That stupid Fairy that dared to care itself Champion had infected the army's leader with the notion that they should fight until they die, the story it had crafted to cover the fact how it had survived would be…. _inconvenienced_ by another survivor, best to make clean it up here and now.

The Machop ran, tears running down its eyes as it moved. Once the first Lucario had died it had done its dutty and retreated back to the second muster point as per the orders given to it. it would wait until the sun rose tomorrow and then it would return to base if no one else made it there to tell their commanders about the threat that had taken out its team. A sounded ahead of it caused it to smile when it saw a Lucario, it had made contact with another squad. It moved towards the Fighting - Steel type but before it open its mouth the Lucario pointed a hand at it and fired a blue energy attack at it!

The Machop dodged the blast and when the ball hit a tree, the explosion told it that the Lucario was playing for keeps. "MACHOP?! MACH HOP MACHOP!" It cried as it looked at the Lucario and the Lucario only looked back before charging at the Machop, spinning and sending a glowing leg into the Machop's right shoulder, breaking it with a sickening crunch.

"MACHOP!" It cried in pain as it grabbed its arm and backed away, trying to think of anything that could save it. It looked around and saw a tree behind it, as the Luicaro moved closer the Machop swung a glowing fist into the tree and created a crater in the wood where the punch landed. The Machop moved swiftly to the side before the tree fell towards the Lucario. Lucario jumped to the side and looked for the Machop, trying to find its prey; it had to kill it before it reported back or the Lucario would die instead. A it looked around it closed its eyes to use Aura Sense, finally seeing the Machop it was fighting running away from in an easterly direction, but then it felt something above it. Before it could react a something flew straight from above it and hit its neck as Lucario. Lucario tried to remove the missile when it felt its neck start to burn and the area that burned increased as its sight darkened before it fell to the ground. The last thing it saw was a leg with talons covered in purplish feathers land on the ground as it felt wind.

Brock looked around the meeting room and frowned as he noticed Riley talking with Yuji. The mayor had organized the before the commotion at the entrance to Route 2 and he was worried about how that would affect the meeting. _Two separate attacks by two separate Chimera, and the second ones were made of wood; I have never seen that before, never even heard of it. I mean I've fought Chimera that had plant parts but never a full body._ Brock thought as he looked around and noticed Riley and Yuji gesturing for him to come over. Nodding at them he walked over and sighed.

"Hey doc, how was your day since we've been back?" Yuji asked as Brock reached them. Brock tried to smile back at them but he could only wince. _A full day of healing and then a dissection on the sample and I looked over the video for the first one. The brain is something I'm worried about, how are the Chimera's genetics so uniform, I would think they would be a mess after even a few days of feeding._ Brock thought as he looked at Yuji and just shook his head.

"The samples we brought back were identified as being related to the source of the outbreak, I'm to report this as the hospital's official stance; data gathered shows that the outbreak was an attack on the city by the Chimera. And there's what you and Salma got yesterday." Brock said as Riley sighed and Yuji nodded. _Given what I saw up there and what Riley said about the seal I guess that those things were waiting for a chance to overwhelm their attackers. So they had or have no sense how many years have passed by them, and are attacking the greatest source of 'life' they could find for food, just great._ Yuji thought as he looked around the room and noticed no one was paying attention to them.

"Yeah, that's going to be a problem, but we might get lucky. Listen I told the boss about how that scum tried to feed me to the Chimera up there and the bitch left Brock to die, said that they weren't what Karin thought they were, he might know something else but not on what I said." Yuji said softly as Riley looked at him before nodding and Brock looked at him blankly. _Giovanni knows about what Kunz did, okay that's something he might bring up about Karin at the next Gym Leader's summit and might use that to make the others question her abilities. Overall that might be good but if she's really connected to those people then that might be bad._ Brock thought as he tried to figure out what this might mean overall. Riley merely chuckled and nodded when Yuji looked at him.

"I thought you would, you owe him your loyalty, and there are your comrades at the gym to think about. Just please keep what I and my student are a secret, that's kept us safe." Riley said as Brock looked at him sharply before sighing and shaking his head as he realized that Riley was right. _The gyms make is so trainers are loyal to their Leader, their City and the League, in that order, so of course Yuji would tell Giovanni that something happened up there, it's a joke to think otherwise. Still I just have to hope that nothing happens that might cause problems down the line, all I can hope for really._ Brock thought as he looked at Riley and decided to speak up.

"Of course that's something, but what I'm worried about is how Albert is going to make a mess of this, and you know he will." Brock said as he scowled as he looked around the room and noticed representatives from the three main farms in the area as others turned and looked at them. "Want to bet how he's going to say that the farmers turned tail and ran when they should have stayed and fought?"

Yuji just scoffed and looked at Brock before he replied. "We are talking about the same idiot so no bet, he's going to make this so complicated."

Riley looked between the two of them and tried to make sense of what they were saying, he was having a hard time thinking that anyone could be so _stupid_. "Well maybe the meeting will won't be as bad as you think? I mean he had to have done something right at least once." Riley smiled shakily at the looks he received and Yuji scoffed.

"Listen, I need Rosette to talk about what happened to her, if she's up for it. When I talk about the cabin I'll look at you two, if she's up for it please tell her to nodded." Brock said with a sigh and turned towards the table and walked towards it, feeling that the meeting would begin soon. Riley looked at Yuji who had walked towards the door and he moved towards Rosette who was leaning against the back wall, she nodded at him.

"Have a good talk with them, and let me guess he wants me to talk about what happened when they attacked right?" Rosette asked as Riley looked at her and nodded at her, he was surprised when she smirked at him. "Good! I'll be able to get my side of what happened

 _Sorry Riley but you have to see him to believe he can even breathe right._ _And I can't believe that that idiot is a member of the Kanto Pokémon League._ Brock thought as he drew out a chair for Pakwa who smiled up at him.

"Might kind of you doc, how ya been lately?" She asked as she sat down and her grandson nodded at Brock as he sat down next to her.

"Better Mrs. Fallsbloom. Just came down from the mountain a few days ago and its bad up there, really bad." He said causing her to sigh.

"Heard about that sonny, me and mine been dealing with those things that attacked us when we came into the city." She muttered as Brock just sighed and shook his head.

"How bad?" Brock asked as he frowned, wondering if this had anything to do with what Riley had told them.

"A farmstead destroyed while the family was taken their herd to their summer grazing, a farm attacked and drove 'em off. When we gathered to talk about it they sent a large group at us and one of those things ate a fire attack just outside the city. Have ya heard about what happened in Cerulean?" Pakwa said as Brock paled and turned to look at her.

Brock looked at Pakwa, a thousand thoughts running through his head and he prayed that he was wrong and their luck wasn't that bad. "I've been run ragged and I was only able to sleep a few hours last night, what happened?"

Pakwa shook her head and sighed. "Heard that a pack of Chimera attacked a school trip the local leader was helping chaperon, last I heard the whole city was locked down and they had already fought off another incursion. Say what about that friend o yours, Ash something?" Is he around here?"

Brock said nothing as he steeped his hands and started to think. _If Misty held off an incursion then calling for help from her is out, she'll be focused on her home. I should call dad about that, if there's a threat to Pewter!_ Brock thoughts died as he sawPakwa look at him. "Ash is in Kalos last I heard, tackling the League there."

"If he was here I'd feel a lot better, what with how that boy and mine handle that bird." Pakwa said as she looked towards the door and nodded at what she saw. _So Gio's made it, good. If we can start before that local idiot gets here then…hello why'd you bring the muscle boyo?_ She thought as two brawny trainers wearing dark shades and darker cloths walked in after Albert with two Machokes walking on the outside of their formation.

"So that fool's gonna use threats to try and get his way, hope Gio puts the brat in his place." Pakwa muttered as she fingered a Pokeball as her grandchild hand slowly rent to his own and readied himself for battle.

"I've got two good ones to defend and attack with, he leads, I protect you strike." Brock said to Chogan who grunt in reply and they both looked up as a he heard a commotion and saw Mayor Halford walk into the room with Jenny right behind him. He was wearing a green suit and his blond hair was messy, a sign that he hadn't had much sleep lately and his eyes were sleepy looking as usual but that wasn't a sign of anything. He exchanged pleasantries with varies people and started to walk towards the head of the table, nodding to either Brock or the Fallsblooms as he passed by them. As he sat down people quitted down and Brock saw the varies people and reporters who had come to see the official response sit down and frowned when he saw a figure in a cloak in the corner try and not be noticed, but Brock was sure he knew him. The screen on the wall hummed to life and Professor Oak and a woman in a simple purple dress stood next to him and Brock was a little shocked to realize she was looking at Agatha, former Ghost trainer of the Elite Four.

"Everyone welcome, and thank you all for coming. Viridian city has been hit by an viral outbreak and we've been attacked by Chimera but we're still strong! So let us begin before something else happens, like Team Rocket attacking or something. To start with I believe we should hear from the hospital's representative, Mr. Slate if you please?" Halford asked as everyone looked at Brock as he stood up.

"Thank you sir. Very well, I'll start with the basics. A few days ago around dawn a bio-organic hybrid spore of plant and animal matter came Viridian and started to infect all Pokémon it came in contact with within the city limits. The results were different based on Types and species; after a quick investigation the hybrid nature was discovered and I identified it as possibly being from a Chimera." Brock began as the people in the room looked at him and started to mutter among themselves, as he looked over the room he caught Rosette and Riley's eyes and smiled slightly when she nodded at him.

"We identified the mountains as the source based on wind patterns and I gathered a group of two gym trainers and two people who were identified as Chimera Hunters. We made best speed to a watch station on one of the mountains along Victory Road and found the station ransacked and a dead Insect Chimera we sent back with a member of the expedition. We were latter able to link up with Miss Zargo, who was stationed at the cabin, who will report one what happened there." Brock said as he gestured towards Rosette who straightened up and stepped forwards as people turned to look at her.

"Thank you; I am Rosette Zargo former member of the Kanto Guard. On the days before the attack we had been seeing strange migrations of Pokémon and I was sent out to do a survey by my leader. After a slow circle of every watering hole I discovered that even the animals were gone. I charged back to the cabin to give my report and before I could do anything a swarm of those things attacked me, for as far as I knew then I was the only survivor." Rosette said as she clenched her fists as she gave her report and was about to continue when Giovanni interrupted her.

" 'as far as I knew', by that turn of phase I can expect that you learned something." Giovanni said as Rosette looked at him before nodding.

"I was able to get in contact with my former commander and discovered that his son, the outpost commander was able to get away with his Pokémon and that both myself and the only other member there were given the blame. It's a bit of a problem because the other trainer had an Electrode who knew Explosion and they have a tactic that works most of the time, and the fact that they were still overrun is….concerning."

Brock jolted slightly and looked at her for a few seconds before his eyes met Professor Oak's and the two of them shared a silent conversation as they remembered a talk the two had when he had worked at Professor Oak's lab a few years ago. _Maybe there is connection a between what they eat and how they change, but how did only one of their kind have that kind of….trap when something kills them._ Brock thought as he turned back to look at Rosette.

Pakwa snarled under her breath and shook her head. "And since you survived after all, theycashed you out didn't they kid?"

Rosette nodded at Pakwa before she contused. "Yes mam, officially I was dishonorably discharged for fleeing in the face of the enemy, completely forgetting that I was away when they attacked and that I returned to an abandoned base overrun by said enemy. I escaped but the way we came from the Plateau was blocked so I tried to find a way around and then well I was rescued by two trainers who were passing by. A few hours later we ran into the Doctor and after extracting him and the sole remaining member of his expedition we left the mountain and returned to Viridian."

Giovanni looked at Rosette as the observers started to mutter amongst themselves at what she had said and started to think. _So I was right, the guard is becoming corrupt, and then there's Karin and whatever she's involved with, and that's not counting the local police._ _Is there a connection between them and the false hunters?_ He thought as the Mayor spoke up.

"Thank you madam, I have to ask you to stop by at the main Police station later on and please repeat this so it can be entered in the official report, now about these things, what do we know about these Chimera?" Halford asked as she nodded at him and Brock stood back up.

"From the remains that were gathered we were able to identify two distant types, with a third that exploded when killed and then there is a feeling variant of one type. From the autopsies we were able to identify that their brains were malformed, the current theory is that is whatever's up there is a 'Minion Maker'." Brock said as people started to clamor all at once, the words causing fear among them. _I can't blame them really, a Maker so close to the city, if we give it time we will be overwhelmed. This has to lead to an assault on the mountain; we have to kill it before it can kill us._ Brock thought as he looked around and saw Pakwa rubbing her chin.

"I remember the Siege before the last one, a whole bunch of beasties came at us from the sea, took us most of the trouble to discover they had been attacking from a vector away from their boss's lair. With what you saw up the mountain, think it might not be the same this time?" Pakwa asked as the clamor died down. Brock shook his head and Pakwa just looked at him with her eyebrow raised.

"Then there's the trees to think about." Giovanni muttered as everyone around the table turned and looked at him, he saw their gazes and sighed before continuing. "Before the attack, one of the two gym trainers I sent with the expedition was attacked by the Chimera while carrying the corpse they found, one of the reasons we improved our defenses and were able to hold off the attack, Officer Jenny and I were checking on the fortifications and heard her cry for help. While we retreated we saw that all the trees were either dead or dying with silk connected to them leading towards the mountains."

"So these things are vamping plants? That's a new one on me." Pakwa muttered as the people started to mutter amongst themselves at this new revelation. Chogan moved his head closer to her and put his hand on her shoulder, causing her to look at him.

"Plants, think those things that attacked us were awoken because of that?" Chogan asked softly causing his grandmother to just sigh.

"Chogan, if those things were in the mountains then there's no way a force large enough to actually do anything that could have woken up all those things, it's gotta be something else." His grandmother chided him softly and he nodded. _Grams right, maybe the fact that Nick is brainwashed or something is making me jump, we gotta find a way to get at him._ Chogan thought as he looked up at the table.

"From my experience during the attack we should priories the horned ones first, they seem to be 'trainers' for the rest of them. Of course they have the habit of exploding when we kill them but what can you do?" Giovanni asked as Brock nodded.

"So we take out the trainers and they can only use pyshical attacks, and if we can take out their 'leader' then we could take them all out?"

"I'm sorry but I would like to bring up the fact that so far all the specimens that have been studied have been shown to be sexual immature. It stands to reason that yes, if we kill the 'breeder' then we will have a finite number of them to deal with." Professor Oak said from the screen as he

"But we don't know how these things reproduce, Insect based Chimera have been recorded to both lay eggs and live births so a survey of the mountain will have to be done after we kill them all." Giovanni said as mayor nodded and held his head. _And that's_

"And then there's what drove me and mine here." Pakwa said as she stood up, gathering everyone's attention. "For those of you who don't know me, I'm Pakwa, matriarch of the Fallsbloom Clan. We're one of the three heads of the local farmers, basically we're the ones they go to if they need help. About a week ago one of the families was returning from bringing their herds to their spring grazing and returned to find their place torn up. A few days later another family fought off these wooden humanoids that attacked them, and when we gathered together to talk about it they attacked us, thought we drove 'em off but they followed us here, that was what attacked us before the wall."

"So we have two force against us, the Chimera on the border of Johto and the Plateau and those wooden things that attacked the farmers, does anyone have any ideas to handle this?" Halford asked as he held his head.

"I think that a strengthen expedition should be sent back up and not come back down until all those things are dead. As for the monstrosities that attacked the farmers, I believe that we should fort up and protect ourselves until we could handle the Chimera. It might be a good idea to contact the league and have them attack first, let us hit them from behind." Giovanni said as Brock frowned as he let his eyes go to Albert's face as he saw the representatives face.

"Now Gio, please stop right there. I'll admit the town was attacked but we held them off. And while those things that attacked the farms; I must admit that they might, might be a threat we can handle them with our current strength." Albert intercepted as he stood up. Yuji scowled when the two trainers released two Machokes that stood next to Albert as he walked towards the front of the room. "All of us here, this is our city. I'm sure that we can handle whatever meager defenses those things can put up." Albert said as he turned around and looked at the table.

"You can't be serous?" Pakwa said as she just looked at the idiotic power play that this idiot was doing, she just couldn't believe what he was doing.

"I am, one should And if those wood things that attacked us I'm sure a few Fire moves will scare them off."

"A Fire attack was used against those things when they attacked our convoy before, and one of those things just absorbed it!" Chogan said with a snarl, but Albert continued on if he hadn't heard him, only sending him a look like he was an idiot.

"No matter what you think I am the League representative and I decide what is passed on to the League and I know that there is no need to bother the league with this." Albert said with a hard glare as the Machokes started to flex and squeeze their hands as people started to realize what he was really doing, the mayor starting to stand up as his face grew red and the others around the table started to stand when a voice cut through.

"Wrong!" A voice said as a figure in a dark clock from the back of the room interrupted Albert before he could say anything else. Brock's mouth dropped open for a few seconds before a grin formed, oh he couldn't wait to watch this.

"Excuse me? What did you say?" Albert asked as he looked at the figure as he walked towards Albert. _Who in the name of Arceus does this fool think he is, how dare he talk like that to me!_ Albert thought as he looked at the robed figure as he walked towards Albert.

"I said your wrong you idiotic fool. I don't know how the hell you got assigned to this city but when I'm done you're be nothing more than a janitor at a garbage dump." The figure said as he walked towards Albert who stared for a second before he started to get mad.

"How dare you! Listen you little peon I am the voice of the League, if I wanted to I could make it so you never can legally train a Pokémon ever again, and who the hell are you?!" Albert demanded as the two Machokes next to him cracked their knuckles as the figure looked at them before he withdrew two Pokéballs and dropped them, out of which came a Dragonite and a Haxorus. As Albert and the two Fighting types jerked back Brock smiled evilly as he looked on.

"The Champion." The man said as he pulled his hood back to reveal Lance looking down at Albert's finger that slowly dropped and Albert stepped backwards as the two trainers who stood next to him blanched as their Pokemon looked at the two Dragon Types as they loomed over the two Machokes. Lance merely looked at Albert as he paled as he realized just who he had threatened.

"Cham Champion Lance, sir I wasn't aware you were in the area." Albert said as the two trainers stepped away from him and recalled their Pokémon.

"The representative is right about, we weren't told you were here and I don't remember hearing about a Dragon trainer among the defenders during the assault." Giovanni said flatly as the people around the room looked on in shock as they realized who had spoken up and was standing there.

"I came into the city after the attack; I was camping out in the mountains doing some training on a new move when I came across a few of these Chimeras moving towards the Plateau. After I dealt with them I followed their tracks, found the signs that an army had come through and followed them and saw the attack Viridian's end, dealt with a few that were trying to escape the battle and here we are." Lance said as he walked towards the chair Albert had abandoned and sat down.

Brock stared at Lance as he heard the others mutter as they took in what Lance had said, nothing about it seemed out of place but Brock knew, deep in his bones that Lance was leaving something out.

"So whatever sent these things doesn't know what happened to its forces, eh?" Pawka mused as she up the table as Lance nodded. Brock frowned, something about that bothered him, something he'd seen in the past…. He stopped and went still. _Tate and Liza, that Chimera that attacked the city!_ Brock thought as he paled.

"Or it does and they were retreating because it saw no way they could win and didn't want it to be a total rout." Brock said as the people around the room started to mutter as some turned to look at him.

"You mean if this thing has any Psychic abilities….given how they've been acting maybe." Lance said as Giovanni looked at Lance.

"What support can we expect from the League?"

Lance sighed and shook his head with a smirk. "Bruno is gathering a squadron to lay siege between the mountain and the Plateau, I pupose that a small team be sent in to try and kill the 'breeder', any volunteers?"

"What about Viridian and the other threat, what will you do about that Lancy?" Agatha asked through the monitor. Lance turned and looked at it and smiled.

"I'll choose a small team and leave enough people to hold out and only leave after we make sure this city is locked down as tight as it can be old lady! And it's good that you're still breathing, your place was torn up when I found it." Lance said as he looked at her and she started to chuckle.

"Ohhh that? I just had a few visitors that were very rude; I showed them how to talk to their elders and sent them packing. I'd offer to come help but with the damage Pallet suffered from the hurricane its best that I stay here and watch over it." Agatha said as Brock felt a spike of fear and sought Pr. Oak's eyes who shook his own head and smiled, causing Brock to feel relief.

"Then here is what we'll do then. We'll make sure our defense are strong and Lance can choose the people he'll take with him back up there. Those who stay back will guard the two entrances to the city and the walls, they won't take my city!"

"I volunteer to try and find out where those things that attacked us have their base." Chogan said as his grandmother looked at him. "Well someone has to!"

"We'll talk about that latter, for now everyone thank you for coming, Brock, Giovanni and Mrs. Fallbloom, Mr. Fallsbloom will you please stay." Lance said as the people around the room started to leave. As they all left Lance looked at Rosette and knew he had to schedule some time to talk with her about how she was fired, that didn't sit well with him at all since he overheard it.

A man with tan skin in black pants and a red shirt with blocky designs on them walked through a busy market place with others dressed in cloths with designs similar to his went about their business. As he walked he stopped by a stand selling berries and looked over the and picked up one of them before throwing a small crystal pyramid to the old woman with loose white hair in a simple blue dress operating the stand who smiled at him.

"You're in a good mood today boyo, have a nice night, any dreams about her?" She asked as she looked at him with pale eyes only for him to laugh and shake his head. The old blind woman always seemed to have a lust for life that

"No, well partly I did. I was in this fog that I kept running towards her, I never made it to her but when I woke up I felt something, I think I'll be able to finally meet her soon." He said with a smile that caused the woman to laugh and reach over and slap his arm.

"GOOD! Bring her around when you find her; I want to get a good look at her!" She said as he laughed and walked off with a smile on his face. _She's one of the best things in the city, she's fought against the worst threats and still helps out when she has to._ He thought as he walked through the crowd and smiled. As he walked he was passed by young boys and girls with their Pokemon as they laughed and played. He looked upwards and saw a flock of Pidgey being led by a Pidgeotto and its Rider and laughed likely as he them, wondering if any of them were close to evolving and if they would get their own riders soon.

He looked around and laughed a little, this was a great day to be alive! They might be under threat of being discovered by those Warring fools, but the few times he had spied on the towns nearby showed that the so called _nobles_ had sent the war into the shadows so that was okay with him. The Chimera were able to be _handled_ and while the big one they held prisoner was always a concern, they had been holding it for years so there was that. _Of course if the elders will just let us off the lease so to speak a good squad will probably be able to handle that Ogre and it seems to keep its spawn as lows so if we dealt with it._ he thought as he walked through the city, a spring in his step as he walked, nothing could bother him today.

"There you are!" A young sounding voice said as causing him to stop in his tracks. _Of course that has to happen._ He thought as he turned and saw a young boy with a circlet around his head running towards him.

"No." He said as the boy reached him.

"Sir?" the asked as he looked up as he panted.

"I don't care, this is my day off. The war could have gone hot, I don't care. The Prisoner is awaking up, I don't care. Whatever has happened I don't care I'll deal with it tomorrow so if you don't mind…." He began until the boy interrupted him.

"The Old Warning, the first part has been identified and it has come to pass." He went still and turned and _ran_ towards a building set against the crater's wall, the messenger running after him.

The sun shinned down into room with wide windows with a long rectangular table with a map of the local area on it, varies tokens showing where certain packs, groups or those of interest are located. Four people stood around it with an older looking man with tan skin in a white robe looking out the windows down onto the city below.

"Are you sure, completely sure about this?" The man by the window asked as he stood there.

"As near sure as I could my friend. The 'Patriarch' is the Ogre that has troubled us for so long, given the battle I saw and what it did." The Speaker was an old bald man with tan skin wearing white shorts, a white cloak and he had a purple sphere on a chain around his neck. He sat before the table and looked at a marker that corresponded to where the Ogre had its lair and frowned.

A man with tan skin in red light armor just shook his head. "But for the Patriarch to be that old monster, for years it's been raising spawn and sending them at us hoping to break through and release its kin, and we have seen it deal with uprisings. I can't see how it loose against one as it says in that line."

"But do we have any idea what the second line means, It of the Broken Weapon, who is that?" The last person, a woman with tan skin and white hair in a twintail style in a green jacket and grey pants asked as she looked down at the table. _After all those years that is finally set in motion, what will this mean for us, will the Old Empire rise?_ She thought as she looked around the room and saw the faces of the others

"Lolita, I think it's the Insect Chimera the Ogre attacked in my vision, the black fire maned one had to be Night Flame so process of elimination…." The bald man said with a shrug.

The armored man looked at the man by the window and sighed. "Luis what do you want us to do, the final stanzas says our Prisoner will be freed, that would destroy us."

Luis turned back to the others and stopped when the doors opened and the man who the messenger had found walked in with a man with tan skin with black hair wearing a white robe walked after him.

"Diego there you all! I was wondering if you would ever get that message!" Luis said as Diego walked towards him and bowed when he stopped.

"My apologies father but this is my day off after all. So who's the Patriarch?" Diego asked only for the man in armor to snicker and share a glance with Luis who only sighed.

"The Ogre, it was the Patriarch, and the betrayal happened at a battle that cost about three fourths of its forces." The bald man said as Diego looked at him, his mouth dropping before he started to mutter under his breath.

"Wonderful, and here I thought that maybe one of the Harpies would be that, but their primarily 'female' so that was a mistake after all." Diego said as the man who had come with him started to chuckle.

"And It of the Broken Weapon must have been that Insect Chimera we saw a while back, I suppose the fact that the Ogre never came down is just part of fate's dance." The man said as Luis just sighed.

"We don't need this, with how the Harpies have been lately." Luis's words caused everyone there to scowl as they remembered the way the Flying type humanoid Chimera had been so active recently, attacking one of their farms and bombing the city, the Sky Riders had barely driven them off.

Diego looked at the table and saw the area where the Ogre lived and looked at the figures that represented the so called 'Queen' and her 'Champion', frowning as he looked at the other figures representing what packs there were. _The Queen won't let a chance like this to put steel to the Ogre, it'll use it as a means to try and get the other packs to join it. And then there's the swamp to think about, what with the swarm there breaking up._ Diego thought as he looked at the map and tried to think.

"What's on your mind brother?" The man who came with him asked quietly as the other four started to talk amongst themselves.

"The Queen, she'll use this as an excuse to gather the other packs to her banner. I'm worried about what the other packs might want from her for their loyalty." Diego said as the man looked at the map and frowned himself.

"Think she'll try and attack one of the farms, the Orchard might be at risk now that I think about it." The man said as Diego nodded.

"Emilio, do you think it's possible, could the Harpies have a part to play in the Warning?" Diego asked as Emilio looked at him and started to think. ' _Gather a Horde of Others like itself', if the Harpies are part of that it would control the skies, but if they are betrayed in turn that might help us in the short term._ Emilo thought as he turned and looked at the map.

"….if we can get the next squadron's training finished and in the air before anything else happens then I think we could handle the Harpies, and we might have to ask the Tropius heard to stay here for a while though." The bald man said as Emilo and Diego looked up from their conversation.

"The herd, yes if they wouldn't mind carrying a few weapons then we could station them by the farms and with a good gunner they could handle anything the Harpies could throw at them." The man in armor said as he started to smile.

"But if the Queen makes a move on them, they'd be grounded, so we'd have to put guards there just to handle that!" Diego said as the others looked at him before Luis nodded at him.

"Your right boyo, but do we have any other choices to make? Ignacio, I want the best defenders you've got ready to deploy as soon as we need them. Guillermo I want you to try and view the Ogre and the Queen, tell us if anything changes with them. Lolita I'm sorry but increase their training by and hour until the next class is ready. " Luis said as he looked at the city. "Everyone your all dismissed, carry out your orders. Diego, come and talk with me."

As everyone walked Emilo looked at his friend before leaving when Diego nodded back at him. Diego moved until he was standing next to Luis and sighed. "They just can't even give us a single day off can they?"

"That's our place son, we are the handle of the spear, we decided what happens and we can never rest for that privilege. It would be a little easier if I could stop being so concerned about the next generation though." Luis said as he looked at Diego who scowled back at him with a glare.

"I had a dream last night about her father, I think I'll see her before the Warning is done." Diego said as he looked over the city and looked towards the top of the crater and frowned. _What is that, I know I saw something…_

"Good, I was wondering for a while if you were just using the fact that you have an Aura Link as an excuse to get away from your mother's match making attempts" Luis said as he looked at his son and frowned as he saw him looking out the window and turned, trying to find what his son had seen. After looking over the city he looked up and saw Sky Riders flying towards the lip of the crater and frowned as he noticed movement in the city, people moving towards the edge of the city here and there. "What's happening down there?"

A sound of running feet caused them both to turn and look at the door before some pushed it open, revealing it to be Ignacio looking out of breath.

"SIR! The Tropius herd, it's here! They were attacked, one of them died to hold off the Ogre's forces!"

"It attacked the Tropius, why?! We made that alliance with that herd after we caught our prisoner and it never met them in battle!" Luis demanded as Diego looked concerned. _Could this to be part of the flow of events that will lead to that ending, if the Ogre had his forces on a hunt before that betrayal…_ Diego thought as he followed his father as he ran out the room, promising himself he would protect his people.

Clemont threw a stick into the fire and frowned. _The way Ash acted once Team Rocket appeared, he and Pikachu tore into those Buzz Lords when Jessie dodged that blow; it was like they had been fighting together before. But that doesn't make any sense at all!_ He thought as he tried to understand just why Ash had acted the way he had when Team Rocket had appeared. He looked up and saw Lilith going through a few exercises and smiled, she had told Bonnie that if she impressed her then she would have more than a blunt knife to practice with. As Bonnie finished the last of the movements Lilith had shown her, Lilith nodded at her and barked a command.

"Now, do all that I've shown you in order!" She said as Bonnie _moved_ , going through a simple but elegant looking kata that ended with her kicking out with her right leg before she spun and punched out with her left before looking at Lilith as she panted. _I was right; she does have an inner Mystical ability like me! She wouldn't have been able to do as well as she did without it. I wonder, is this what Milady felt when she found me, she did say my final test was to teach what I knew to someone, and maybe I found my student at last._ She thought as she nodded at Bonnie before smiling.

"You did great Bonnie, if you don't mind I'd like to make you my student in self-defense, I think my style would work great for you." Lilith said as Bonnie looked thoughtful before smiling and nodding. Lilith reached over and rubbed Bonnie's head and Clemont smiled for a few seconds before his smile dropped as his earlier thoughts invaded his head, still trying to come to terms with what he had seen.

"You look like you have something on your mind Clemont." Clemont looked up to see Ash walking towards him. The group had escaped as the those Pokemon riders had appeared, Ash had grabbed his friends and move away from the city and into the wilderness in the direction of Lumiose City with Team Rocket on their heels. Sometimes during the run the two trainers and three Pokemon had disappeared and Clemont was a bit worried that they were waiting to ambush them but Ash had just laughed when he brought it up. They had gotten away and Ash had taken up the vanguard position and had watched them until they had been running through the wild for an hour before he had them slow down. Even now looking back at what had happened earlier that day he still couldn't understand why the Buzz Lords had been attacked by those three.

"Sorry, it's just….Team Rocket. When they attacked the Buzz Lords, you and they were acting like you've fought side by side in the past; I mean they're Pokémon thieves and the very idea! And why'd they attack the Buzz Lords, why didn't they help them!" Clemont exclaimed, going still as Ash started to chuckle, causing the others all to look at him as he leaned back.

"You're completely right! I can't remember the exact number but there have been times when I've fought back to back with those three and they've even saved me a few times." Ash said as the others stared at him.

"What?" Serena asked in shock as Bonnie's mouth dropped open. Ash just smiled sheepishly and looked at them.

"I don't know about how things back in this region, but back in Kanto I'm on friendly terms with a few minor gangs, and those three, Jessie James and Meowth aren't that bad, they just have a lot of baggage." Ash said rubbing the back of his head, his words causing most of the others to look at him with open mouths; Lilly was the only one who had a neutral expression. _Okay, so maybe I won't send them to the boss, I'll just give 'em nightmares instead._ She thought as she waited for the others to react.

"You are? But the way you handled the Buzz Lords." Clemont said with shock as he tried to imagine Ash talking to, let alone being friend with anyone like the Buzz Lords.

"They weren't a gang, they were a Team." Ash said as he looked up at the stars and went silent a few seconds gathering his thoughts before he continued.

"That's how a few people back in Kanto view things, Gang and Teams are different, gangs are small time and usually form from people who have issues with society or where they live, Teams are groups that form to bend society to their will. The gangs I'm friendly with well, one of them was just a group that that supplied old fashion medicines, folk remedies and the like that the 'modern' society doesn't believe in and the League won't accept _officially_. Another basically just ran a 'black market' because of taxes on foreign goods a local mayor set up because his relative had a store that only dealt in Kanto made stuff, heck the local Officer Jenny shopped at the market for Arceus sake and the last one were just a pack of trainers who like to dress in the punkish style and ride their bikes on this bridge to challenge trainers from out of town!" Ash said with a huff as he crossed his arms.

"But Team Rocket, how could you have every fought with those three enough to trust them to watch your back?" Lilith asked as she looked at Ash as she listened to what he was saying. _It seems that Ash knows the difference between Associations and Villains and is telling the others about it, one lesson I won't have to teach after all._ Lilith thought as she forced down a smirk, she had been worried about how she would ever find a way to tell them what Lady Camilla had told her years ago.

"Now don't get me wrong, I hate **Team Rocket** as a group, but those three are the exceptions to the rule. I know that those three are a lot stronger and smarter then they usually act, I've noticed over the years that they really only let lose when something is going against their principles, other times they just go through the motions, it's just a job for them really. I mean when I jumped for Pikachu they tried to stop me." Ash said as he looked about the campsite, seeing that the others were listening to him he found he had a choice to make. _Those three are going to stick around so maybe I should share what I know about them, the general stuff at least._ Ash thought as he made a decision.

"Those three…. All I can say is that all three of them really aren't as bad as you'd think. When compared to a lot of others, if someone is abusing Pokémon, people or animals and not part of Team Rocket, they'd stop them as fast as a member of the Police. They've all got their reasons for being Team Rocket members, even Meowth." Ash said as he looked up at the stars as the others looked at him.

"What reasons could they possibly have?" Clemont asked as he looked at Ash who responded with a somber look as Pikachu put its face down as he let memories play behind his eyes. _Sometimes I really hate that I mentioned it to Happy that one time or saw that picture Blissey had of Jessie at that school, she really didn't deserve how that teacher treated her, but I am so glad Happy caused a little chaos that exposed her._ Ash thought as he just sighed and gathered his thoughts.

"Well, Jessie was an orphan from around six or earlier, from what I've learned here and there her mom was her only parent **and** a member of Team Rocket who died on a mission. Tried to become a nurse but most schools wouldn't accept her, even tried to get accredited at a school for Chanseys but the teacher treated her like a Pokémon and well….you can guess the rest. James's parents are very rich in Kanto and wanted him to marry this girl who was **very** controlling, down to telling him to get rid of one of his Pokémon. Meowth learned to talk and tried to make it big to make this other Meowth he had a crush on notice him. Make no mistake, I fight them seriously whenever I find them up to no good, but against a greater or an even worse evil that's not a Team Rocket plot and they don't have orders to help them, I can trust them to not stab me in the back. Heck, to try and save the world once they almost committed suicide." Ash finished with a bitter smile.

"They did **what**?" Serena whispered as they all stared at him in total shock. Ash and Pikachu looked at the others and nodded solemnly as their friends stared at the two of them.

"As those three let go of Lugia's tail and they dropped down towards the ice, my heart stopped for a few seconds." Ash said with a solemn tone as the others looked at him. _Well, well. Those three and their teams are a bit principled after all. I think I'll make a mention of them on my next report home…wait what!?_ Lilith thoughts died as she recognized the name Ash and dropped and they all looked at Ash in total shock.

"Wait wait wait, LUGIA?! As in the Beast of the Sea!" Clemont said with a Serena looked at Ash with wonder as Lilith's mouth dropped open.

"As in the Legendary Pokémon?!" Bonnie exclaimed causing Ash to chuckle as they all stared at him.

"DEDENNE DEE!" Dedenne cried out as it looked at Ash and Pikachu with stars in its eyes.

"Remember when the weather took a turn for the worse about five or so years ago? To make a long story short someone had captured a Zapdos, Moltress and Articono that protected or ruled three islands in the middle of the global current in the Orange Islands all as part of a plan to get a Lugia for his collection." Ash said as he chuckled.

"You haven't had a normal Journey at all have you?" Lilith asked as soon as she found her voice.

"Nope! And that wasn't even the last time I'd met a Legendary and I was involved in an incident that big." Ash said as he laughed as the others looked at him in shock. Pikachu nodded as Dedenne looked at Pikachu with stars in its eyes and the larger electric mouse only laughed at the reaction the smaller Pokémon had at what it was being told.

"Heck I even ran into Celebi three times, and saved him everytime!" Ash said as the others just looked at him and tried to understand just what he was saying. Lilith dropped to her knees, the shock finally getting to her. _I thought the stories and rumors about his father were something, but he's protected Celebi?_ Lilith thought as the others just stared in total shock until Serena and Clemont exploded.

"Cele Celebi, as in the legendary Pokémon that can travel through time!?" Serena stammered as everyone looked at him in total shock.

"Have you experienced its ability, have you traveled through time, did you visit the future?!" Clemont demanded as Ash just smirked at him and Pikachu snickered.

"Well CELEBI never took me back in time." Ash said as Clemont calmed down until Serena spoke up.

"'Back in time', you just said CELEBI never took you back in time, then that means you have traveled to the past?" Serena said as Clemont looked at Serena before snapping his head around to look at Ash who rubbed the back of his head.

"Well, have you guys ever read the story of the Travel and his Thunder Beast from Sinnoh; that was us and well Dialga did that." Ash said as the others just looked at him, Clemont making chocking noises. _Wait, that story is about how a traveler from a faraway land helped a clan's leader save Arceus!_ Lilith thought before she got up and walked shakily towards the tents.

"I'm going to bed before Ash reveals that he's save all of reality, so good night." Lilith said as she reached her tent. As soon as her tent flap was closed she started to stare into space and shake as she hugged herself as she went over what Ash had said. _If he isn't who I think he is then at least we have to make sure he isn't on the other side; a trainer whose done half of what he said he's done could take out an entire legion if he ever work his Aura up._ She thought as she got out her Pokédex and started to shakily put down what he had said, hoping to pass the file to the one of her own sooner or later.

Ash looked at Lilith's tent and shrugged his shoulders. "Well let's get to bed guys; I don't want to cause her to have a mental breakdown." Ash moved towards his own tent as the others around him looked at him with shocked looks that he implied that he **had** saved all of reality once.

"We've made it the next rest stop! We're landing before the camp!" Cleo looked downward and saw a modest sized ruin next to an oasis and a few tents here and there and she realized it was that archeologist that had petitioned to investigate the Domain's ruins. _If I remember it right then they have to put up any travelers if they camp by a water source, given that we have enough food for the journey I guess we can stay and take advantage of it and bed down with others tonight._ Cleo thought as she directed her Flygon to follow Asim's as they moved towards the ground. As the Pokémon landed a cry was heard from the oasis and Cleo went to a necklace under her shirt and channeled a little Aura to it and felt it wash over her as her disguise slid into place as her hair and skin lightened.

"I don't mean to second guess you Asi….Marshal but why are we stopping, shouldn't we continue on and make camp when the moon rises?" Cleo asked causing Asim to laugh a little before he shook his head.

"That's when you travel along the Great River 'Protector'. Out here in the Desert you have to understand when to make camp, and you always do so by a water source…. You know, you never told me what to call you…." Asim asked as a jeep drove away from the oasis towards them and he looked over how she looked, all in all okay and she would pass as a person who stayed outside but not the Highlord, so it would work.

"Junia, this is Junia your intern." Cleo said with a smirk as Asim just sighed. _Of course she would be. Still it will let me send her to talk to people and try and figure this what's wrong at the Rest before something terrible happens. I mean first that den and we're still trying to relocate all the Pokémon there so the nerd squad can get in there to see what it was in that hollow. What was happening before colonization around here, really?_ He wondered as the jeep stopped close enough for the people to call out to them but still defend themselves, smart whoever was over there. A man about Cleo's age stood up from the jeep's passenger seat and cupped his hands around his mouth.

"HELLO, WHERE ARE YOU HEADING? OR ARE YOU HERE WITH A MESSAGE FOR US?" The man hollered as Asim smiled at the challenge. His Flygon growled low and he figured Pokémon were underground ready to strike if they proved they meant the people here harm and he grinned as he copied the challenger's actions and yelled back.

"WE'RE PROTECTORS, HEADING FOR SOLA'S REST ON A MISSION FROM THE HIGHLORD TO INVESTIGATE AN ATTACK, MIGHT WE BED DOWN HERE FOR THE NIGHT? WE HAVE OUR OWN SUPPLIES IF THAT'S A PROBLEM!" Asim's voice echoed of the sands and the person looked at the drive before sitting down and they drove towards the two travelers. The man who had called out to them was a man with tan skin, black eyes and brown hair dressed in a brown vest over a white shirt and brown pants. The person driving the jeep was a woman in a white sleeveless shirt and brown pants and had tan skin, short platinum blond hair and blue eyes. The woman whistled and around them two Excadrills, biped Pokémon with three red marks on the front of their dark brown bodies. They had three steel claws with two sticking blades out of the top of the middle claw; their heads were white snots under a steel blade twice as long as their faces with two smaller blades sticking out of the middle of it. The two Pokémon dug their way out of the dirt and looked at the two Flygon before the two people in the jeep recalled their Excadrills into their Pokéballs.

"Welcome to Dig site Charlie then folks! Sorry about the surprises but about a week back we were attacked by a few bandits that misjudged the boss's strength." The man said as he smiled smugly at them.

"You'll have to tell me about that friend, but why didn't you report it?" Asim asked as he glared at as Cleo walked over to their Flygon and started to unloaded their saddles. The man sighed as the woman took over.

"We beat em but all the Pokémon we were using as messengers were taken out and we've only had basic first aid for them so were keeping them in their Pokéball. We let them out for meals and they are recovering but well the doc doesn't want them to travel the distance it'll take to get back to civilization." She said as she shrugged in a 'what can you do' manor and Asim frowned as he looked at them.

"Why haven't you radioed for help?" Asim demanded as they climbed into the jeep and he frowned when he saw the jeep was Aura powered. _Why the heck did they modify this thing, oh don't tell me that's why they didn't call for help!_ Asim thought as the man laughed and looked back at him as the girl started the jeep.

"The people who built this had a problem with Eclectic Pokémon or Aura users, radio waves don't travel far. That's how we found this place anyway, we had Pokémon fly around, charted the magnetic disturbances, went to the biggest one that we could find and went to the center." The woman said as she drove back towards the hill separating the oasis from the great desert, as they passed over the dune none of them noticed places here and there as sand shifted as robed figures moved the sand aside and followed after the jeep.

"Oh, my name's Cassim and this is Madeha, the boss is in the ruins and you two are?" The man, Cassim asked as the woman, Madeha waved a hand as she drove over a dune, revealing the oasis, tall trees around a lake for about a mile. A ruin with built with sloping lines and black stones was along a portion of the lake and stretched through the trees to the sands. Here and there along the water and tress they could see tents and a few trailers and other jeeps here and they with one trailer far away from the others. As the jeep moved down the hill and into the trees Asim frowned as he went over what he saw of the camp. _Nothing there that could invite bandits, and people need a reason to attack someone, the expedition only set up on one side near the ruin so what reason did they have?_ Asim thought as he tried and failed to rationalize the attack.

"I'm Asim, this is my intern Junia, and I think I'll need to talk to your prisoners." Asim said as they drove through the trees.

A few minutes later they pulled up and Cleo looked around at all the people as they moved, some of them were clustered around a hole dug near away from the water by a stone slab and others were looking at the walls and some seemed to be arguing with each other. She saw Machamps, a few more Aracaines and Excadrill digging here and there as people either looked at them or moved about the camp. Her breath caught in her throat as she saw a herd of Tropicis at the far side of the lake drinking as

"Amazing isn't it?" Madeha asked from behind her. Cleo turned and looked at her, seeing Madeha looking at the ruins with a look of wonder in her eyes.

"We think this was the residence and lab for a caster from before the Colonization. There are a few statues here and there that are amazing. And in the forest there are still marks form a great battle that had to have happened before this place was abandoned." She said as Cleo looked at her. Asim looked around and nodded before he turned to look at Cleo.

"Junia go and give our respects to the team's leader, I'll go and talk to the prisoners." Asim ordered and Cleo nodded as he walked off, Cassim being shanghaied as his guide. As he walked off he saw Cassim looking over his shoulder back at the girls as they walked into the ruin.

"Keep your eyes on the road Romeo! And she has someone already." Asim said harshly as he pulled Cassim.

"Why are the good ones always taken by the time I met them?" Cassim asked as he walked towards the lone trailer.

Cleo looked around as she walked into the ruins and smiled as she looked about. The outside might have been made of black stone but the inside was a beautiful red and white. Here and there were humanoid statues built with blue stones and white hexagon gemstones in the statues open palms with large spherical gems of some kind in their chests. As she walked by them she bit back a shiver as the two women passed them. Madeha looked at her and smiled bitterly.

"Felt a shiver didn't you? A few others said the same thing; the Doc thinks it's an old and decayed Rune chain." Madeha said as they stared at the statues.

"Has anyone found the source of the chain?" Cleo asked as Madeha just laughed as Cleo blushed at how naïve the question was. _That was probably what they looked for first Cleo, of course they tried to find, if this place was Aura powered after all these years._ Cleo thought as she realized the implications of this place and promised to have the Protectors send a 'guard' force to keep others from taking the bounty this place offered. 

"Nope, personally I think it's a repair chain that gathers stray Aura from people as they came in under those things, inspired me to look into making something like that, course I'd need to personalize it to each place I set it up at, but something to think about hu?" Madeha asked as she led the way away from the statues. Cleo looked back over her shoulder and frowned, was that flash of sunlight glinting off the statues eyes. Turning back around neither of them noticed that one of the statues moved its head to look at where the two had gone as the other statues started to move.

A man stood before a door with hieroglyphs and blue gemstoneson it that went down in two rows as he tried to translate the hieroglyphs. He was wearing a grey vest over a black shirt and brown pants, he was bald with a short mustache and tried to puzzle them out, at his side was a reptilian wolf like creature with two raised ram horns. _Okay let's start over from the beginning, what do you know? These are basically the same hieroglyphs you've studied before let's take it slow. Now these represent…..._ He thought as he jolted down a few quick words and started to try and figure out the code behind them.

"This…. okay so the first combination reads 'Blood-lord opens/seal away?' no, that last symbol must mean something else, I have wondered if the combination about is key, I thought that the language is a lot more complicated than a lot of people believe, but what is this? What could it mean?" He muttered to himself as he looked from his notes to the door and tried to think of a connection. _I have to open this door, this was why I created this expedition ion the first place, this is the result of years of work I can't fail now!_ He thought as he looked at the notes he had jolted down so intently that he never noticed that he had visitors before one of the called out loudly.

"There you are professor! I knew you'd be here!" A loud voice caused him to jump and clutch his heart as he tried to get his heartbeat under control. _It has to be her, doesn't it?_ He thought as he turned around and frowned as he looked at the woman before him, not evening seeing the other person who was standing next to her.

"Miss. Madeha! I have told you time and time again, don't do that!" He said as he looked at her before noticing the woman standing next to her and looked at her for a few seconds before realizing he didn't know her and looked at Madeha with a frown,

"This is Protector Junia, she and her teacher Asim dropped by on Flygons earlier; he went to talk to our captives while she came to greet you. Junia this is our the expeditions leader, Hans Terfold." Madeha said as Cleo bowed to him.

"Greetings Professor, let me just say it's a pleasure to be welcomed to your camp. It is well appreciated that you let us rest before we continue on our journey." She said as she reached out her hand toward him, him taking it and shaking it.

"Well met Protector and I'm not a professor, just the head student whose thesis proposed that this place was here. And it's a true pleasure to have law enforcement here! I hope there are more of you then just you and your teacher?" Hans asked as the reptilian wolf sniffed her.

Cleo only winced as he shook her hand and noticed he had on a chain necklace under his shirt. "Sorry sir the two of us are just heading towards Sola's Rest to investigate an incident there. We saw the oasis had people and decided to see if we could join your camp for the night." _That's a Terror Hound, not particular powerful but didn't Assim say once that all homunculus could have custom abilities based on what's used to make it? And that chain around his neck, a Sight Share gem, but where's the controller?_ She thought as she looked at him.

"Well of course you two can! I don't suppose you could let the rest of the domain know we have captives when you reach your destination would you, we don't….have?" He trailed off when he saw a blue light on Cleo's face and he slowly turned to look at the door and dropped his jaw. The gemstones on it had started to glow blue and slowly a line of energy was formed between them and the door swung open down the line.

Asim walked with as he went over just what he would do when he met the prisoners, Cassim leading the way as he walked ahead, talking about the attack as they moved.

"It was strange how they attacked us see, they came at us when we were making supper, if the boss didn't have someone looking at the painting on the second floor we wouldn't have seen them coming! And they seemed to attack our tents and leaved our rides alone, but the professor thought they were looking for any artifacts to sell." Cassim said as he led Asim to the trailer. Two persons and a Machoke were standing guard outside and one of the looked towards Cassim and Asim as the two walked towards them.

"Cassim; who's the newbie?" The guard asked as Asim looked him over and identified him as a jock, probably came along to help his grade. Asim only looked at the guard who met his stare before starting to stammer and pale as he walked backwards until he hit the trailer.

"A Protector and I'll be talking to your captives." Asim said as he walked past them and into the trailer to see three men with tan skin in dark clothing with tattoos of symbols in a line across their brows. He looked at them and frowned when he saw the tattoos. "You're from one of the native tribes aren't you, the Desert Lords?"

One of the three jerked forward and glared at him as the others looked at each other before the first sank against his bonds. "Yes we are. If you know who we are then you must know what we do."

Asim nodded and locked eyes with the man. "I know that you protect Ancient sites, you stay by yourselves and you have a central city hidden somewhere in the Domain. What's so important to this place to get you to move, what are you protecting?"

At his words one of the other two started to struggle as he stared at Asim with anger and rage in his eyes. "Protect?! This hell!? This is one of the ancient horrors; a place where the seal on the monster that destroyed us before you all came here is maintained! And if one of them is asleep here!"

"Quit brother, you know we aren't to talk about that!" The other said as the leader looked at Asim and watched his reaction.

Asim looked at the man before turning towards the leader who looked back. _The tribes of the desert call Devourer 'the sleeping horrors', and the old stories, they say that the mad were the source of Devourers lore, they said they found ancient knowledge that 'spoke' to them from artifacts… could this place!_ "Answer me truly, does this place have knowledge related to the Devourers?"

"Yes, more to the point if the knowledge is right then then there's one who knows that hellish power is in a deep sleep in there." The leader said as Asim looked athim and tried to make sense of what he had just said. He heard a scuffle behind him and turned to see the guard from before looking in with Cassim standing next to him.

"A Devourer, here? Come on how could one of them be 'asleep' here, before we came here they were Pokémon but they weren't even scared of the ruins!" The guard said as Asim looked at the man and started to think. _Their against the Devourers more than any other people who know about them, and he said they attacked the tents so then maybe it was to drive the dig out of here…. But could it really be the case, there's only one way to know for sure._ Asim thought before he slowly drew a knife that he put it next to the man's neck. The guards and Cassim looked at him in shock as the man and his two comrades merely looked at him with hard glares.

"Swear on your lifeblood and the mother river that you attacked to drive them out of here, that you weren't after their lives." Asim said as he held his blade steady.

"By my name, by my lifeblood, by my Aura and the mother river, the attack was to drive them out of here before they broke the door at the center of the ruins." The man said as he looked at Asim before a flash of blue light from outside blinded them.

"What in Arceus's name?!" Asim said before one of the guards cut in.

"That light, it was from the ruins!" He said before the struggling of the captives caused them all to look at the three men who had looks of terror on their faces.

"You have to releases us, he's free! We have to kill him before he reawakens his golem!" The man said prompting Asim to start cutting him free.

"This is amazing, I was right! This proves my theory, the ancient ruins of the Desert Domain they are the remnants of a people who could travel the world!" Cleo heard the August say as she looked around the room. They had entered the room a minute ago to see a room full of paintings of Pokémon found in Kalos and Unova, skeletons of Kabuto, Armaldo around the room and an Aerodactyl skeleton hanging from the ceiling with a large blue pillar in the center. As Cleo looked around the room she tried to figure out just how the door had opened on its own, but she just couldn't.

"August, I'm sure your excited but remember the first lesson, 'if something happens and you don't why you leave the area', I mean shouldn't we investigate **before** entering a new room?" Madeha asked as she stood by the doorway looking around. Cleo looked from her to the August who looked around the room with a hungry look on his face with his Terror Hound waiting near the doorway. As she watched him she frowned, was she seeing something or was one of his hands near his chain necklace.

"Don't worry my dear; I'm sure that won't be a problem for much longer." August said as he walked towards a blue pillar. _She was here before so that new girl….she has to be descended from that line, to think it survived! Oh he will be so happy once he sees her!_ He thought as he looked at the pillar

"August, we have to get out of here, it's almost sundown, and the professor said that we shouldn't work through the night." Madeha said as August ignored her for a few seconds before calling back to her.

"Just stay there my dear; it won't be much longer till I'm done." August said as Cleo looked at what was happening as she started to feel a chill in the air. _Wait 'longer till I'm done'? What he's mean, it's like he…no, it can't be, the University would have caught it before he's been given command here._ Cleo thought as she slowly backed towards the door. Before she could pass the threshold a growl caused her to look at the Terror Hound as it got back to its feet and stare at her.

"Please stay right there my lady, my patron will like to decide what to do with you once he's awake. I was wondering how to open that door, but to think that one of his bloodline survived!" August declared as he removed his necklace from under his and revealed an aqua colored gemstone with a blue spark at the center of it, his back to the two of them.

As his attention was on the pillar as he walked towards it Madeha silently moved her hand towards a Pokéball on her belt and frowned when she heard the sound of stones hitting stone. Turning she paled when she saw one of the statues from the entrance was moving towards them. _No choice, I have to handle that these things fist and deal with the Homunculus second, good thing I have my partners with me._ Madeha thought as she threw out two Pokéballs. From one came a large dark grey and white bear like Pokémon with a large white belly with its fur from its back forming a dark grey coat, a thin-stemmed shoot with two leaves in its mouth, its head white with the area around its eyes black. Next to it a smaller humanoid Pokémon with a round, red and black head like a helmet with a golden double-headed axe blade down the top center of the head, with yellow lines where its red shoulders met its black body, its lower arms white with metallic hands that resemble gloves, with retractable, blades, two blades encircling its torso above its red legs.

"GO Pangoro, Bisharp! Bisharp handle the Terror Hound, Pangoro take down that golem!" She called out as her Pangoro roared and charged, meeting it fist to fist as Bisharp attacked the Terror Hound, only for it do dodge and spat a ball of black fire that exploded when it hit the Steel Type, sending it flying against the wall. Pangoro was doing no better as it saw other golems walking towards them and its hands started to feel wet, straining its self it pushed the golem out of the room and closed the doors to the chamber, holding them closed as the golems started to try and force them open.

"Pangoro, keep them out, Bisharp are you okay?" Madeha cried and was relieved when Bisharp nodded and she looked into the room as the laughter of the _crazy fool_ inside gave her pause for a second.

"No matter what you do, I will still win! Nothing can stop me!" He said with a crazed edge to his voice as the Terror Hound charged at the Bisharp with glowing horns when suddenly a large Krokorok suddenly appeared and punched the Terror Hound, sending it crashing into the skeleton of a Kabuto. Snarling August turned and saw Cleo wielding a staff as the Krokorok growled as she moved closer to him.

"Don't forget about me, I don't know what you were talking about, but if you think I just stand there pretty you're so wrong." She said and looked surprised when he laughed.

"Do what you will, it's too late!" He cried as he put the necklace against the large pillar and it suddenly released a blue flash of light that blinded them.

"I still don't know about this, the boss should be contacted." The guard said as he and Cassim followed Assim and the three desert dwellers. After the flash the leader of the desert dwellers, one Mathayus a saber and released a large biped Pokémon, with fluffy white fur on its belly and fringing its face like a beard, its head had a plate of beige armor, similar to a helmet. It possesses a prominent domed, beige armor-like shell, trimmed with red and green bands; the green is on the outermost edge and four large spines jutting out of the back and its arms had spike shields near its three clawed hands. The other two had released two Brelooms and drawn two axes and moved after their leader as they moved through the camp, all three were worried.

"One of them let him out, we have to hurry!" Mathayus said as he ran, his Chesnaught following behind him

"Let who out, I'm trusting you but I need to know what we're dealing with here." Assim said as they rushed through the camp.

"Hell, we are dealing with a true monster!" Mathayus said as they ran. "The Devourers you've dealt with, most of them learn how to from teaching artifacts left behind. This one, he made some of them, our history tells that he was a master golem builder and when the end came, our records say he and his student put him to sleep and the student sacrificed to activate an Aura Rune that killed all the people around the oasis but left the Pokémon alive! My clan has been guarding this place since then, we were trying to drive you out so he would stay asleep!"

"WHAT THE HELL ARE THOSE THINGS!?" A cry ahead of them caused them to look up and Assim cursed as three of the same stature Golems were walking out of the ruins, one of them pointing at one of the students and fired a blast of water at him, sending him flying a good ten feet as the golems moved towards the people. As Assim watched more golems came out of the building as what looked like decorations pulled themselves from the walls, blue serpent like constructs with sapphire eyes.

"We fight through them brothers, arise!" Mathayus called out a roar was heard as from the trees more robbed figures and Grass Pokémon charged towards the golems. Mathayus was about to join them when Assim turned him around.

"THOSE PEOPLE, THEY WERE HERE TO BREAK YOU OUT AND CHASE THE EXPIDITION OUT OF HERE!" Assim demanded as Mathayus just nodded at him.

"We do what we must to keep the threats of this island asleep, we can talk later we fight now!" Mathayus said as he turned back and charged at the golems, Assim followed behind him a moment latter

When the light died something flew into Cleo and knocked her to the floor. She looked down at a green small round cactus like Pokémon with a golden crown around its head with two club shaped limbs ringed with four dark green spikes and two small cone shaped legs. She looked down at the Cacnea as it cooed at her before growling as fog started to seep around her and it jumped in front of her as her Krokorok fought off the Terror Hound. She looked towards where the Pillar was and saw smoke where the pilliar had been, August was on his knees as if in worship.

"Master, I heard your commands, your call through the ages and I have done it! And I have a sacrifice here, a descent of those that sealed you!" August said as his Terror Hound broke off from its battle with Krokorok and Bisharp to guard August as he kneeled, a red energy shield forming to keep them out as Cleo watched. "My only desire master is to serve you as your student."

From within the fog a blue energy lance shot out and pierced Augusts heart, his Terror Hound dropping to the floor as the energy shield dropped and something was heard slithering on the floor and Augusts's body was dragged into the fog as a chuckle was heard.

"So my old master left one of these behind, I am so glad I was able to get my counter chain ready before I killed him." A pompous sounding voice said as the smoke started to clear and it revealed a serpentine Pokémon It's mostly black with silver hexagon markings on its top with various purple scar-like marks and silver bumps where its body meets the ground; it had two silver fangs and a silver coloring from its underjaw to its 'neck' and a sharp looking tail colored blue. Behind it was a man in a blue robe with a silver headdress on his head and an arrogant look in his black eyes as he bent down and removed the necklace from Augusts neck as he looked at it. "So the old idiot was planning on that chain killing me, 'you'll be fine, you will build my kingdom while I sleep'. As if I could every listen to him and trust him, right Serviper?"

"Serviper." Serviper hissed as Cleo brought her arm up her Pokegear scanned the Pokémon. The man looked at her and smirked.

"Serviper subtype detected, Water Secondary detected." Her Pokegear reported as she looked at him. 

"My you do look a little like her." He said as he looked her over, feeling slimy as his eyes slid over her form. She paled as the energy harpoon drew out a blue ball that he pulled to him and ate. _Oh by the River he's a devourer! And this fog, its cold he couldn't be…_ Cleo thought as she looked at him as he sighed.

"Ahhhh. The taste of Aura at the point of death; nothing like it in the world!" He said as he shot a blue energy bolt at the Terror Hound causing it to spasm before it got back to its feet, a blue glow trailing form its eyes as it glared at the two Pokémon before it and the energy shield snapped back into place. "Rejoice woman, the great Raafid has decided you shall become his concubine!" Raafid said as he pointed at her with a scepter that he drew from his back. Cleo just looked at him dumbfounded before she started to glare and got back to her feet, a definint look in her eyes. "So you'll be defiant then, good! The best flowers are always ones that have been put in the proper _vase_ , Terror Hound, bring her to me." Raafid said darkly as the Terror Hound started to move towards her before the Cactus raised its arms and fired muiltiple energy blasts from it at Terror Hound and one of them broke off one of its horns, the energy wall dropping as its horns sparked.

"You'll fight with me?" Cleo asked Cacnea and smiled when it nodded at her. "Okay Krokorok, use Brick Break on Terror Hound, Cacnea keep doing what you did before!"

Her Krokorok charged at the homunculus with a glowing arm and slammed it into the Terror Hound, sending it to the floor and its other horn to break off. Raafid looked on and sighed.

"What a problem, to think the great one must use such inferor products, but do with what you have. Serviper; Element Pass; Water!" He commanded. His Serviper angled its head up and spat out a glowing blue energy ball that Raafid drew to him and ate, an aura of blue energy forming around him. "Terror Hound, push that bitch to the floor, Serviper Hydro Pump at Krokorok!"

Terror Hound roared and charged at Cleo before Cacnea raised a green glowing arm and suddenly roots burst form the ground and grabbed Terror Hound as it tried to move. Serviper opened its mouth and fire a torrent of water in a spiral at Krokorok, Cleo could only watch

"Bisharp Intercept it with Iron Defense!" A voice called out as suddenly Bisharp outlined in light blue and was between Krokorok and the water spiral, it just splashing around it as the Bisharp glared at the Serviper as Raafid looked at the Steel type before looking out the doorway with Cleo doing the same. Madeha stood there with a scowl on her face and a ball of red golden energy forming in front of her outstretched hand.

"Don't forget about me, me and mine are still in this!" She called out a she clenched the ball of energy and fired a blast of electricity at Raafid who only sighed and held up a hand and caught the electricity in a water sphere that he then pointed at the wall next to him and the ball become a beam of blue and yellow energy that destroyed the wall, revealing an inner courtyard that Raafid started to walk towards, pausing when he reached the hole.

"My masters creations were in destroy mode when I betrayed him, everything living within the ten feet of this place are a target, if I were you I would leave soon….and prey you never meet me again, oh and Terror Hound to me." He said as his Serviper followed after him and the Terror Hound finally broke free and charged after him, the pounding from the next room causing Cleo to look up at Madeha who looked back as she looked at the doorway and her Pangero.

"After him, call back your Pangoro! We can't let the others come in here, it'll be a slaughter!" Cleo said as she picked up Cacnea and ran towards the hole with her Krokorok, Madeha doing as Cleo had said and following with her Bisharp a few seconds later, all of them hearing the doors holding back the golems crashing open.

Assim slashed out with his daggers and broke a serpent golem's head off its body and jumped backwards as he dodged a water strike from a statue golem and looked about. The some of the desert dwellers were pulling the expedition back to their vehicles and getting them out of there as the rest fought off the golems as Assim, Mathayus and their Pokémon tried to break through to discover what had happened inside. _This isn't working; we have to get in there! If she's hurt I won't ever forgive myself!_ Assim thought as he dodged a serpent golem and slashed its head off. Suddenly the golems all turned their heads and moved towards a Terror Hound Homunculus that charged from an entrance to a courtyard. As the Homoculus attacked the Golems two spirals of water hit the golems, destroy some and forcing others back. They saw a man in a blue robe wearing a silver headdress walk out behind it with a silverfish Serviper following behind him.

Mathayus stared in shock, not believing what he was seeing. _That's the apprentice but didn't he die when he set off the chain, what happened back then._ Mathayus shook his head and charged at Raafid who met the blow with his scepter, locking eyes with the man who only looked intrigued at who was fighting him.

"So that tribe survived after all, I thought master killed you all." Raafid said as Mathayus snarled at him.

"We thought you gave your life for that monster, how are you alive?!" Mathayus demanded as Raafid laughed and spun them around until his back was to the lake.

"Oh I just betrayed that one before he could betray me, do take care to survive the golems! Terror Hound, get as many of those golems to fight you then Explosion!" Raafid said as he broke away and ran towards the lake with his Serviper behind him, jumping suddenly to dodge roots that tried to grab him. Turning Mathayus saw Cleo with a Cacnea in her arms, a Krokorok, a Bisharp and Madeha following behind her. They were all of running out of the courtyard with more of those golems chasing them.

"GET OUT, EVERYONE RUN! THOSE THINGS WON'T STOP UNTIL EVERYTHING IN AN MILE IS DEAD!" Cleo cried as she ran towards the tree line. A splash caused Madeha to see Raafid and his Pokémon gone, a ripple on the pond's surface the only clue to where he had gone. Mathayus looked at the ripples for a few seconds before turning noticing the others breaking off combat and the Terror Hound was charging at a large group of golems. As he realized what was happening, Mathayus saw the others looking at him, searching for any sign of what to do.

"RETURN TO THE DESERT MY BROTHERS, RETURN!" Mathayus cried as he ran a scowl on his face as he moved, stopping when a jeep stopped in front of him with Assim behind the wheel and Cassim behind him.

"Get in, we'll grab the girls and anyone else and get to the far side!" Assim said before Mathayus got into the jeep and recalled his Pokémon. As they drove away Mathayus looked back as the Terror Hound exploded and he cursed his weakness.

As the moon shined down on the city, two figures moved over the rooftops and stopped overlooking a block of apartments across a street. The first figure made a few signs and the second nodded and jumped over the street with the first following behind as they landed on the balcony of one of the apartments. As the moon shinned down the figures were revealed to be Hikari and Shadow.

"So how do we do this, was there a security system?" Shadow asked as Hikari stood in front of the door. She shook her head as she moved her arm back and shattered the glass door and slipped into the room with Shadow following behind her.

"Nope, its set up for the front only, I think the previous landlord was lazy so I was looking for a better place if I was going to be stuck here." Hikari said as she moved towards a vent on the floor and removed the covering and pulled out a small box. She opened it to reveal two Pokéballs and a USB stick that she put into a pocket after she attached the balls to her belt. She looked around the room and frowned, she had come here because of her investigation into who she now knew was one of the Order, but she thought they would have come back and checked out if she left any evidence leading back to Karin. "This doesn't make sense."

"What is it?" Shadow asked as he moved his right arm around the room, a scanner set into it scanning for any electronics and he frowned as he saw the results on his mask and understood what she was thinking. "There's nothing you didn't leave, what did they just decided not to come or were they killed by the Chimera before they could make it here? And your 'previous landlord?"

Hikari shook her head and looked around her room for the last two months and spoke absently. "Yeah, the guy was sleazy, one of those people that's just in it for the money. Did the absolute minimum and tried to keep from doing anything at all. The new girl actually hired a handyman that's been great, even fixed a leak in my shower…." Hikari stopped and when she started to feel Shadow release some killing intent. Turning to see him standing still she started to say something when he touched his gauntlet and suddenly her mask showed her a view from Shadow's scanner showing a blip in her bathroom causing her to go still. _That perverted bastard! Is it a camera or a microphone, but why the bathroom?_

"Was that the only place that he worked on here?" Shadow asked as he scanned the room, hoping he wouldn't find anything as a sliver of rage burned in his heart.

"Yeah, I was going to have him come and replace the lights in the kitchen next, they died a few days ago, but I heard a rumor that someone might be transferred to another station and I wanted to see if I had a chance before I called him." Hikari said as she started to scan as well, absently hoping to have a reason to go and have a _talk_ with him. She went still when she scanned the front of the apartment and detected three people coming towards them. _What did Sarah say about this, how to activate the radio and turn off external coms…got it._ she thought as she pressed a button on her right wrist and looked at Shadow. "Shadow, switch to internal coms and hide in the kitchen, I'll hide in the bathroom, let's see who they are first."

"Got it Hikari, make sure you strike fast if they're not just thieves." Kotaro said as he slipped into the kitchen and hid in the shadows. As she slipped into her bathroom she heard a sound from the hallway and the sound of voices coming towards.

"So you haven't heard from those two since they took that reporter chick to dump her somewhere?"

"No, probably had another job to do and might have gotten caught up in those things attack, and the boss lady already left for Saffron, something about checking the preparation for the op."

"And how'd you know that idiot, I didn't think you were that high up the ladder."

"Well somebody gotta operate the comms for those people!" Gabby heard the door to the room open and after a few seconds she heard the sounds of two people moving around.

"So we just have to find the bitch's clothing and then we can leave, right?" a gruff voice asked as

"Yeah, stupid bastard had to have gotten the chance to the good job of cleaning out the fridge." Another voice said as Gabby slowly moved one of her hands towards her blades and moved slowly back from the door and reached for her other Pokéball.

"Go signal is the slightest hint of an opening, ready?" Kotaro's voice came over her comms and Gabby tensed.

"Ready, got one who works their comms, will try and take alive if possible." Gabby said softly as she heard them move towards the bathroom.

"Oh, don't forget to get the bitch's toothbrush, we've gotta sell the story right the first time." Comms guy said as Gabby heard someone walking towards the door.

"Yeah, Yeah I'll get it." The other one said as the door opened. Before the person could react Gabby shot forward with her knife and stabbed him through his heart and pushed him to the floor. The other man only gawked at what he was seeing, staring in total shock at what was had happened, not believing his eyes at the feminine figure in white holding a bloody blade.

"WHO THE HELL ARE YOU?!" He cried out in shock as Gabby sprung to her feet she threw out a Pokéball releasing a purple, bipedal Pokémon with a square build, a large mouth and two short stalks that support its circular ears with black and purple rings inside them.

"Loudred?" It rumbled as it looked at the two people before realizing who Gabby was and growled at the Order member who finally grabbed a Pokéball and threw it.

"Go, Vigoroth Scratch attack!" He barked as Vigoroth shot at Loudred with glowing claws.

"Echoed Voice, knock em out, rampage time!" Gabby cried out as the Comms guy looked at her in shock.

"LOUDRED!" Her Pokémon cried before it fired a blast of sound at the charging Vigoroth.

Back in the kitchen the last of the three Orders members looked up at the sound of a crash and subconsciously changed his stance.

"WHO THE HELL ARE YOU?!" As soon as he heard the cry of his teammate and the crash that followed he jumped backwards before a throwing blade sunk into the floor where he was standing.

"Magmortar, go! I'm bringing this place down!" He called out as a Rattata and a trainer in a dark bodysuit suddenly appeared in the kitchen.

"LOUDRED!" A roar from the bedroom caused him to turn and that saw his partner's Vigoroth crash through the wall and he saw a woman in white with a bloody blade attack one of his partners as the body of the other one was on the floor. A screech from his Magmortar caused him to turn and pale as it put one of its arms over its eyes as the Rattata landed with its tooth bloody. _We have to get out of here, we can't fight in this wreck of a room, we need space, up or down._ He thought as he reached into his pocket and threw down a black ball that caused a cloud of smog to form and block the sight of everyone in the room.

"Magmortar, Flame Charge to the right, We're going up, follow me!" He barked. His Pokemon reacted and charged towards the doorway to the hall, fire covering its form as it hit the door way and burst through, fire still burning from the broken door. As he ran out into the hallway he moved towards the stairs, hoping to get to the roof and he hoped that idiot would lead the people to the ground he would escape easily over the roofs on his Pokémon.

Gabby ran out into the hallway after Kotaro and looked at the hallway as the flames started to climb up the walls. _Shit, shit! I can only hope that the fire department will get here and the last people in here will get out_

"How many people are one this floor and why aren't the alarms going off!?" Kotaro demanded as he looked at the hallway. _I know those people are destructive but something like this, how many people could they kill, and why haven't the alarms gone off?_ He thought before he heard Gabby's reply.

"Nobody above us, but there are people below. Last I saw there were a mother and daughter on two floors down and the supper was living with his niece. I heard the owner was going to turn this into a hotel and was phasing people out, my lease was up in two months, and as for the alarms, I thought this place was up to code. But what do we do, up or down?" Gabby asked as she scanned towards the stairway and saw two people, one moving up and the other moving down.

"Sacrifice play, he called that out so we would hear, we need to wake anyone that might be here up, Happy should have called the police so we have minutes at best to handle this." Kotaro said grimly as Gabby nodded.

"I'll have Loudred Roar and wake anyone up and we have to split up." Gabby sad as she crossed her arms and her helmeted head looked at him, Kotaro only nodding after a few seconds.

"Nothing else we can do, I'll catch the guy going up and you make sure the bastard with the Mamotror isn't trying to set the building on fire!" Kotaro said as he ran towards the staircase, his Rattata on his heels.

Gabby stood there and sighed. _We've got to work on acting as a team, but that can happen later, for now we have work to do._ She thought as she turned towards her Loudred who smirked at her. "Roar." Gabby said as she activated the sound blockers that she had asked Happy to add to her mask

"LOUDRED!" Her Pokémon screamed and as soon as its mouth was closed she started to scan below and saw two people getting out of beds and smirked when they moved towards the hallway.

"Good, hopefully they'll head to the street. Come on; let's have our friend take us down." She said as she ran back into her old apartment, deciding to take the fast way down.

As the order member ran down the stairs with his Vigoroth by his side he really hoped that he'd be able to get away. _This was supposed to be a simple retrieval, but that idiot had to kill the supper and then those two, who are hell are they, I gotta get back to the others, they have to know about this. And going up after a flame user, no way in hell and I that stupid._

"Gliscor!" A voice from above him caused him to turn jump to the side as a large purple pokemon with two large pincers as hands, its tailed ended in two barbs and on its back above its wings was the woman he had been fighting with her Pokemon hanging onto the purple one's tail.

"Shit, how'd the bitch follow us? He said go up." He muttered as he looked at her as she jumped from her Pokemon and her Loudred released the tail.

"So you went down instead of up, will you surrender or will you make it ….fun?" She asked with a robotic sounding voice as she stood as her two Pokémon. He gritted his teeth and threw out a Pokéball. What appeared was a large bipedal creature covered in shaggy, white fur with its hands, feet, and tail colored dark green on its back were four green spikes that resemble pinecones, as it stood up a cold breeze started up and snow started to fall around them, her own Pokémon wincing as ice hit them.

"Loudred, attack the Abomasnow, Artic tactics! Gliscor, take out that Vigoroth!" Gabby cried out as she dashed at the Order member. He barely dodged her as he moved backwards as she slashed at him with the blunt side of her blade as his two Pokémon tried to react and defend themselves before hers were on them. Gliscor crabbed Vigoroth and threw it against the building while Loudred charged at the Abomasnow and fired a Flamethrower at it that caused it to step backwards. As Vigoroth saw Gliscor move towards it and its teammate under fire it felt a rage it had never felt before and exploded.

"Vigoroth!" It screamed as its bowed suddenly started to glow white as it _grew_ , it gained two feet and its body gained muscles as it bulked up as a small tuff formed on its head. As the glow died down it was revealed to have changed color to a brown color and it had become an ape like Pokémon.

"Slaking!" It cried before it charged at Gliscor and grappled with it. Gabby and the Order member stared in shock at what had happened and suddenly she kicked him between the legs and he went to the ground in pain. Slaking tried to move to help its trainer when Gliscor opened its mouth and shot white needles at Slaking point blank and it shook itself as purple bubbles appeared around it.

Loudred jumped at Abomasnow with a white glowing fist and punched it, sending it backwards, it looked at its opponent as the snow storm continued and its trainer spared a glance at the battle as he tried to get back to his feet as Gabby tried to hold him down. _I've got to get out of here, if the other one comes back then I'm screwed! The only thing to do is escape, but I have to get this bitch off me!_ He thought as he struggled and grabbed her arms.

"Abomasnow, Bullet Seed on the one fighting Vi-Slaking! Slaking throw!" He cried as he threw Gabby away from him and moved backwards as he rolled to his feet. Abomasnow spat three glowing seeds that shot at Gliscor and all three hit, causing Gliscor to wince, giving Slaking the opening it needed to throw Gliscor away from it. Gabby dashed backwards and held her blade up to defend as both Slacking and Abomasnow moved to stand in front of their trainer who turned paled when he looked over Gabby's shoulder.

"Abomasnow, Mist!" He cried out as Gabby started to hear sirens in the distance. Abomasnow breathed out a white cloud that hid them from view, a few seconds later the hail died down and as the mists cleared away the trainer and his Pokémon were gone.

Gabby turned behind her and saw a firetruck coming towards her, recalling her Loudred she got back onto her Gliscor. "Up buddy; time to fly."

"GLISCOR!" It cried as it raised its tail as it started to glow and slammed it against the ground and catapulted them into the air.

Within the stairway Kotaro stopped and looked at the railings, he was sure it had melted a little. _Looks like the bastard really did go up instead of down, makes me wonder how he'll get away._ _I just hope that Gabby caught that guy. So let's see if he has what he has planned._ Kotaro thought as he ran towards the top with his Rattata by his side. "We're going to

As the order member barreled onto the roof he looked around and smirked as his Magmortar followed him. _good, we are low enough for a 'rocket jump', now all we have to do is make it another building and then I can get out into an alley and get away._ He thought as the two of them moved towards the edge when suddenly a beam of energy shot past them. Turning quickly both trainer and Pokémon saw Kotaro and his Rattata standing by the door, the rat pokemon's teeth gleaming.

"I don't suppose you'd mind letting me go, would you?" He asked, walking to the left with his Magmortar following behind him as Kotaro moved to the left and his Rattata followed.

"No, I was hoping to find the other one, but you'll do. Before I'm doing your tell me all about your organization and how you all are connected to the Siege." Kotaro said as the Order member stiffened and stared at him in total shock as he went still.

"How ….how can you know that?" He stammered as his Magmortar started to growl as he looked at the man who grinned and starred at back as he drew a short sword.

"The Aura is with me." He said as he and his Pokémon shot at their frozen opponents. The Order member barley dodged and drew forth a long dagger and parried the blow as his Fire type tried to slam one of its arms down onto the Rattata that dodged the blow and shot a blast of energy at it that caused it to move back. As the trainers exchanged blows the order member was barely able to believe what Kotaro had said. _That's the ancient oath of those idiots, he couldn't be one of them, we're the only successors alive; the Chimera got the others when they were weak! I have to get away, I have to get back to the others and tell them! If we can recruit him, tell him the truth from whatever lies he's been told about us then._ The order member thought as he lunged backwards and out of range of Kotaro's blade as he started to pant.

"Wait, Wait! If you truly are connected to them then please, let us stop! We're both members of groups that kill Chimera and you've had to been lied to, surely there's a way to work together?" He panted as Kotaro looked at him as their Pokémon fought, Rattata lunging at Magmortar with glowing fangs and bit its right leg, Magmortar throwing the leg in question out and Rattata flew into the air, summersaulting back to the ground and dashed to its trainer's side as he held up a hand. _This is interesting, maybe I could learn a few things about the Order this way, if my hunch is right then this will explain a few things._ He thought as he sheathed his blade and stood straight, his masked head starring at the Order member.

"I had a mission to investigate the woman in the apartment, and based on your talk you had something to do with her, so talk." Kotaro said as he looked at his opponent, wondering what he would say.

"That bitch? She tried to get in the way of killing those things in the mountain, and when she tried to run away she killed herself by falling off where she hid! It wasn't our fault but those bastard reporters would have crucified us and we can't have that now, this could be the start of a new Siege!" He said as his Magmortar moved next to him as he looked at Kotaro who only nodded.

"So you got rid of her body and were going to destroy her clothing, thinking that someone found it while leaving her body where it was, another life taken by the Chimera." Kotaro said as he absorb. _That's not what happened, but does he truly know what happened or is he just telling what he was told? Just when I thought those bastards couldn't get any more evil._ He thought before a sudden blizzard started to blow from the ground. As his head whipped downward the order member grabbed onto his Pokémon's neck form the back and barked a command.

"ROCKET!" His Magmortar ran towards the edge and jumped with its arms back and shot flames from its arms to fly through the air. Kotaro and Rattata stared until they noticed that the flames had started to burn the roof top.

"My target got away, but I was able to get a tracker on him. the last few people in the building are out and the fire fighters are here, what do you want to do now?" Gabby's voice came over his radio and Kotaro looked around and saw a helicopter coming his way. Recalling his Rattata to its Pokéball he released his Noivern and got onto it before he activated his own radio.

"Head to the second rally point, we'll not done with our work just yet." Kotaro said as Noivern took flight and flew away from the building. "And Hikari, good work tonight."

As the moon hung overhead as the residence of the city lord was lit up like a bonfire as soothing music from birds with gems on their breasts flew above people in formal clothing and dresses as they moved around a courtyard with hanging lights. Around them moved large cat like creatures with flowers on their backs as people danced or talked as feminine looking figures in maid uniforms carried plats of food or drinks here and there. Sadri Don Rodruss stood farther back and smiled as he looked at what he had worked towards for the last few months, and it was everything he had thought it would be. All that was left was for that idiot Francisco to leave the city once his scrap heap of a ship was repaired and never bother him again. And if a miracle happened and he catch that pirate bitch then he would just be dealt with.

"Great party my lord, truly wonderful." A seductive voice said he turned to see Orchid walking towards him in a mermaid dress that exposed her breasts perfectly in his optioning.

"Ahhh Orchid my dear! How is everything, any reportsI need to see." Sadri asked he offered his arm to her as Orchid smiled serenely.

"No my lord, the VIPs are on their way here and I've already sent a Maid for your daughter, so everything is fine." She said as she took his arm and they walked through the yard.

Nudara looked over the party from her room as she finished putting on the last of the jewelry her father had sent to her and fought down a scowl. _As if I needed something else to show how that bastard sees me as just a piece for his glory._ She thought as she looked at the Aura grown yellow crystal in the shape of her father's sigil, a yellow star with a black center. "And the fool wonders why he hasn't be offered Ascension yet. " She muttered as she looked at herself in her room's mirror, she was wearing a yellow ballroom gown that would have been more appropriate for a courtesan, the fact that it only covered the bottom half of her breasts and the slant cut on the right side and left her shoulders bare was something she would deal with. A chuckle from her Bellossom caused her to look at her and smile as she watched her Pokémon eat Pokéblocks as she sat there.

"Remember girl you're going to be with me for the entire time and we'll be eating a lot of little things, so enjoy that plate." Nudera said and felt a bit of a joy at the look her Pokémon sent her and smiled.

"My lady, your father is calling for you!" A voice from her door caused her to stand up and move towards it, a blank smile appearing on her face as she walked. _Time to act once again._ She thought as she opened her door and smiled at the homunculus there. "Where is my lord father?" She asked the maid homunculus as she opened.

"He's near the front, he wanted you with him when he makes his speech." The maid said as she looked over Nudera and nodded. "

Nudara sighed internally as she smiled and received greetings from the party goers as she walked through the garden, an aroma from the feline homunculus making it hard to keep a scowl from her face as she walked. _Bewitching Aroma Flower Cats dad, really? If I didn't have_ _ **that**_ _training dad could have found out everything he needed to get rid of his pirate problem with a few questions. And to think I had a smidge of respect left for him…still I just have to get through this night and then I can make an excuse to leave, maybe a trip to the capital to see a show or spend a while there._ She thought as she listened to the conversations around her as she moved.

"Have you heard, the Highlord is going to be having a reception here in a few days' time?" A woman in a red dress said to another woman holding a black fan in her gloved hands

"And Lord had this party planned as the social event of the year for a while, that's going to hurt him a bit." The woman holding the fan said as she used it to hide her face.

"Did you hear about how she made off with the full cargo, looted the ship down to the nails she did!" A man said

"No doubt the Lord is going to make mention of that pirate that's been hitting his shipments lately." A man replied as a he picked up a glass from a passing server. Nudea frowned as she passed by, sure that anything her father did would be problems for her.

"Nudara, Darling! There you are!" A voice caused her to mentally sight _. Here we go again, the bimbos three._ She thought as she forced a smile as she turned and saw three girls her own age walking towards her with three Pokemon following them. A girl wearing a red strapped gown her short black hair and was wearing a tiara was followed by a Pidove that hovered behind her while a girl with purple hair in a green gown with voluminous sleeves was followed by a Espurr while a girl in a shoulderless black dress with long red hair was followed by a Pichu.

"Maddie, Claire, Paulina, how are you?" Nudara asked as she fought down a scowl as she looked over her 'friends', each and every one of them trash that deserved to be thrown into jail.

"Oh Nudera you can't believe how hard it's been lately, mother said that I couldn't get a new necklace because of my grades." Maddie Vol Clou'dra said as she shook her head as her Pidove landed on her shoulder.

"HO HOHO! You should have gone to my study group Maddie, maybe then you might have passed." Claire Lacrada laughed as her Espurr bowed to the others as she

Paulina Saliemdra just sighed as she fanned herself as her Pichu jumped to her shoulder. "It's too bad that hunk Francisco is being sent after that bitch Nightsprout, hu sister? I was thinking about asking if he'd mind taking me here as my date." She said cheekily as the other two sighed and Nudera just smiled at them.

Claire just sighed and shook her head. "Mmm, I'd love to spend an evening with Francisco, he always seemed so strong."

Nudera just smiled while inside she was scowling. _Of course these three would be after that idiot playboy. Why did I ever like these three, maybe they weren't as vapid as they are now then?_ She thought as she tried to keep her thoughts off her face. "Well father had to do something after he failed the way he did, and I think the punishment fit the crime so to speak, I'm sure in a few weeks he'll have a plan to catch her."

"The one good thing is that Mr. Rainbow hasn't been here yet or his sister is keeping them away from us. Remember how he tried to court you before Lilith won that contest and he was 'struck by her beauty'?" Paulina asked as Nudera smiled and started to mentally apologies to Lilith for going to that show with him to distract herself from his 'courting'.

"Announcing the Ladies Camellia, Chiyome and Tsubaki!" A voice said causing them all to turn their heads towards the garden's entrance and Nudara smiled. _With luck they'll take up those people's attention and I can slip to the walls._ Nudara thought as everyone turned and looked towards the voice.Camellia was wearing a shining black strapless dress with a slit on the right side and wore a black gem that rested on her breasts with a powerful looking Mandibuzz hovering next to her. On her other side was a woman with blue eyes and purple hair in a simple bun with two hair pins with purple gems on the end wearing an elegant looking kimono with a red sash with an Arbok behind her. Next to her walked a girl Nudara's age with black eyes and purple black hair in a simple kimono that reveled a hint of her breasts with a green bipedal, reptilian Pokémon with a slender build with two purple wing like structures on its shoulder and a red palmate leaf with three prongs on the end of its tail and it had two arms ending in three digits and two tiny claw like feet. The three of them walked into the grounds and Nudera saw her father walk towards them and bowed when they stopped, Nudera moved to join him, knowing that this was what he wanted her to stand by her.

"Oh how wonderful that you all made it! When you said you were coming I was overjoyed, with all the rumors that have been coming all over lately I wasn't sure that you would come." He said as Camellia smiled, revealing a fang that caused Sadri to suppress a shiver of envy.

"Oh we were in the area and when I heard about the Highlord would be here in a few days I just knew I had to come. My friend and her student are here for a little desert conditioning but well, I was able to convince her to they should have a little fun beforehand." Camellia said with a little giggle.

"Then it is my gain madam! But about those rumors that have been flying everywhere, I don't suppose you'd be able to say anything about them. Why I've heard everything from Chimera breeders in the ocean to Frankenmon attacking a city. Why the rarest was they finally found our Queen!" Sadri said with a laugh that died at Camellia and Chiyome both looking at him with a hard strange look to their eyes that caused him to slowly swallow and start to feel sweet going down his forehead.

"Yes there have been rumors, there always are but I can't say anything really, there's nothing to say really." Camellia said as she looked at Sadri and he swallowed as he saw the look in her eyes.

"Of, of course madam, I'm sorry but if you don't mind I have a few things to go over, Nudara would you mind showing them around?" Sadri said as he backed away and moved towards the mansion.

Nudara after her father before turning towards the three and bowed her head again. "My apologies for my father, might I interest you in some refreshments?"

As Nudara led them away the three girls who she had talked to before were looking on and Claire sighed. "To bad Sir Mordred isn't here, I would have loved to see if the rumors about him and Lady Chiyome are true!"

"You mean the rumor about their possible love triangle between him, her and sir Magnus?" Paulina asked as her Pichu looked around before nudging her head with its tail. She turned her head and followed its gesture and paled. "Oh no, there they are."

Maddie looked at her before following Paulina's gaze and sighed at what she saw. "And here I was hoping he just said they'd be here for saying they'd be here, I hope our girl doesn't kill him."

"So your father, is he always like that or have we caught him at a bad time?" Tsubaki asked as she followed after Nudara who only sighed. _I could tell her how he really is, but I do owe him a bit so maybe I'll try and put a good spin on him._ She thought before she smiled over her shoulder.

"He's not that bad most of the time, but yes to both really." She said as Tsubaki walked next to her.

"How so, what happened?" Tsubaki asked as she looked at Nudara as they walked. _So far she doesn't seem to a 'normal' noble teen, vapid and stupid. From what I heard about her she seems like someone who would be but why isn't she?_ Tsubaki thought.

"Well, did you ever hear about the pirate Nightsprout?" Nudara asked as she led the way.

Chiyome looked at Nudara and kept a frown off her face as she looked around and noticed the Maids here and there. As she looked at one of them she noticed something flash in one of their eyes as it passed by and for a second she went still.

"Something wrong?" Camellia asked quite as Chiyome tensed slightly before relaxing as she grasped her hands together as she continued walking.

"All the Homunculus in the maid uniforms, I thought I saw something in one of their eyes for a second. " Chiyome said quitly as they followed Nudara through the garden. Camellia looked at the Maids as they passed by them and Camellia looked at them and activated one of her Aura skills and frowned as she looked at the energy flows with in the Maids. _Where did I see that flow before, when did?_ Camellia thought before a voice called out.

"Nuddy, darling!" Nudara went still and sighed. _Of course I have to meet her, couldn't go through the party without running into the Victoraris twins._ She thought as she turned towards the voice.

A girl who looked to be about fifteen with her platinum hair in a ponytail with a silver crown on her head above her eyes wearing a white dressed that hugged her curvy figure walked towards them with a gray slender feline Pokémon with a crescent shaped head with two white-tipped ears and a white muzzle and its tail was a curved spring ending in a white fluff point. The teen came and caught Nudara in a hug and pulled back, a smile on her face that reached her bright blue eyes.

"Luciana, it's good to see you. Where's that brother of yours, is he here as well?" Tsubaki asked with a slight tremor in her voice causing Luciana to turn and look at the other three people around her target.

"Oh my! Lady Camellia, Lady Chiyome, how are you? And there's Tsubaki, but where's Lilith?" Luciana asked as she looked around, trying to see if she could find Lilith.

"She's not around, I sent her out on a…. journey to try the contests in another region, she still has a bit to learn." Camellia said as Chiyome giggled lightly.

"A bit to learn sister, she just wanted to get away from the stalkers, didn't she?" Chiyome said with a giggle as Nudara watched as Tsubaki looked embarrassed.

Camellia laughed lightly. "Well….. maybe your right about that. On a separate matter my dear, where did your father acquire all those Homunculus Maids? I don't recognize the maker." Camellia asked Nudara as one of the Maids passed by.

Nudara looked at it as it walked and saw none of the few marks that such constructs have and frowned as well. "You know, I don't know. I was at a house I use for studying, a small one farther out along one of the side channels of the Great River really, and I came back to all of my father's preparations done, the Maids, Song Wings and Flower Cats were already here."

Camellia looked at a Maid as it passed, a bad feeling growing as she looked at the shade of its hair. _I think I've seen that shade on a homunculus before but when, what is it about them that's causing me this feeling of distress._ She thought as she flexed her fingers reflexively as she moved her left hands towards her right a wrist absentmindedly.

Camellia looked around and frowned when she noticed that the Flower Cats were gathering together and the Song Wings were flying around a stage that the Lord Sadri was walking towards.

Sadri smiled as he looked around, this was perfect! Sure his business was under siege by that witch of a pirate but he would bounce back! Already he had a few possible deals in the works that would give him more than enough capital to set up a Black Bounty on her and then…well then he'd show her just how mad he was. He

"You attention please, thank you." He said as people turned towards him. "Welcome one and all to my wonderful party, I hope you've all enjoyed yourselves! I decided to arrange this gathering to announce a new project I've authorized! The great river has always been the fastest method next to Pokemon for traveling through the Domain and what we can be sent is always constricted by time, but no more! I am proud to announce that I have begun a project to create a twin rail line to the Capital of the Domain!"

As soon as he announced just what he was building people started to applaud and cheer. Camellia looked on with a neutral expression and Chiyome brought out a fan from her sleeves that she used to hide her face, but her eyes were hard.

"I might be confused, but wouldn't something like that need the permission of the boss to go ahead?" Chiyome asked quietly before she felt Tsubaki grab her arm, and suddenly she felt this _echo_ of rage, causing her to look at her student and notice the glazed look in her eyes as she looked at Nudara. _And what's got you so worked up kid?_ Chiyome thought as she tried to understand what her apprentice felt from Nudara.

Nudara just looked on with a neutral look as inside she was shaking. _Of course, that explains why the last few shipments were what they were. Just when I thought you couldn't get any slimier._ She thought as she looked at the stage as her father stepped off and started to talk to other people, some of them fellow merchants that wanted to know more details, others trying to see how they could benefit from it.

Camellia was about to walk over when the sound of bodies and glass hitting the floor was heard as the song that had been sung died abruptly. As the people looked around the Song Birds dropped to the ground as the Flower Cats and maids hit the ground before their bodies started to shake. As she watched the homunculus she suddenly realized **when** she had seen that shade before. "Weapons free!" Camellia cried out as she drew her whip as her Mandibuzz picked up what her trainer had and flew upwards.

"What is it Camellia, what are they?" Chiyome asked as from her sleeves two fighting claws appeared as her Arbok started to hiss as people drew back as the

"The homunculus, their like the things Delia and I fought years ago! Their activating a kind of 'Rage death' form, their mutating and they'll kill everyone here!" Camellia cried out as people started to back up as their Pokémon cowered or stood in front of their trainers as here and there men and woman drew a variety of weapons. Nudara cursed under her breath, her eyes darting here and there as she reached for her Pokéballs, wondering if she should try and use them to defend herself, cursing the fact that she didn't have a weapon on-hand to us. _Of course 'Nudara' doesn't carry a weapon, oh but if I just had a blade!_ She thought as she watched the thrashing homunculus. The Flower Cats were growing saber fangs as vines shot out from the flower as a mouth formed from the petals, the Song Wings were growing bigger as spikes from the middle of their wing while the maids had claws grow from their fingers as ram horns grew from their heads. As the first Flower Cat got to its feet a crash from the manor caused them to turn and see a fourteen foot tall black biped tailed reptilian with three horns on its face, one above its noise and the other two growing from its checks. It had a line of spikes down its back to its tail that ended in a club with its arms ended in four clawed hands that sparked with electricity.

Sadri stared in total horror as he stared at the reptilian homunculus as he saw a future where he was penniless and on the streets. _If they find out that I bought these Homunculus on the black market, they could find out about my other business, then I'm ruined! Wait, there's still that!_ He thought as the homunculus on the ground got back up and started to look around at the party guests, some of them had their Pokémon move to defend them or drawn weapons. "Orchid my dear, I think we have to do that emergency plans that you suggested."

"Already done sir, now all we have to do is survive this." She said as the homunculus charged at the guests as she drew two fans from her back that flicked open, a metallic sheen at the edges. She flew forwards and slashed two of the Maid's neck as she moved by them, Sadri looking at the carnage and cursed as he knew that this was going to be hard to explain.

Camellia slashed out with her whip as her Mandibuzz fired a Dark Pulse from its mouth at one of the Song Wings and flew at it before using its beck; she tore the wings from it and sent it to the ground. Chiyome moved swiftly and slashed at anything that she could reach, Nudara moved backwards to dodge a Flower Cat's vines and her Bellossom spat a purple blob that hit it that caused its vines to start to smoke, causing her to smirk as she when she saw it. _The cats are weak to poison attacks! Just have to wait for them to figure it out, 'Nudara' is a low level performer that wins a few contests here and there, and always by 'luck'!_ She thought as she watched the battle, hoping one of the others would notice what she had.

Tsubaki saw Nudara smirk and forced a frown down as she watched Nudara, wondering why she hadn't called attention to what had happened and decided to try another Poison move. "Snivy us Poison Sting on that one!" She cried out as she pointed at one of the Maids as her Snivy jumped up and shot white needles from its mouth at it. The Maid screeched and moved backwards as the needles hit its skin, smoke rising from where they had landed.

"POISON, THEY'RE WEAK TO POISON!" She called out loudly as she activated her Poison Aura and slashed at a Song Wing as it passed by her, smiling as she cut off one of its wings and it thrashed on the floor before going still. "Damage them enough and they die like anything else, great." She said as she moved towards a three Maids she saw Nudara eyes lock on hers for a second, another sign that she was more then she tried to appear.

"Claire come on!" Madeline called out as she pulled Paulina as their Pokémon tried to hold off a Flower Cat and a Maid, Pichu sending sparks at it as Espurr used Psychic to grab anything to throw at the maid as Pidove sent used Protect to defend their trainers.

"But Espurr and the others!" Claire said as she looked back at the Pokémon.

"We'll recall them when we're farther away, we have to move now!" Paulina said looking back at Claire who held her hands. Paulina looked at Claire then she looked over what Claire was wearing and felt something in her grow cold. "Claire, you have her Pokéball right, right?!"

"It's in my purse which is in the coat room." Claire said as she looked away from the reddining face of Madeline who exploded a second later.

"CLAIRE!" She screamed as she looked at her friend who cowed away from Madeline.

"Well I got a new bag with ball holders on it recently, I figure I'd make it part of my regular outfit but just handed it over when I reached the party without a thought!" Claire said before a cry caused her to turn and saw Espurr flying backwards as the Maid kicked it away from the battle before it moved after it. "Espurr no!"

"Pichu, Grass Knot that Miad!" Paulina commanded, prompting Pichu to raise its tail that glowed green before roots burst out of the ground and grabbed the Maid's feet, giving Espurr the opening it need to 'grab' a table and sending it crashing onto the Maid's head, sending it to the floor.

Before it could get up, Claire grabbed a chair and started to beet it until it stopped moving, Claire huffed before noticing Madeline and Paulina were looking until she finally snapped. "What, that thing tried to kill my little Espurr, I'm not letting that go unpunished!"

"Girl, you're crazy, really, really crazy!" Paulina said as Madeline looked around and noticed that there were pockets of defiance forming, all they had to do was get to the nearest one and they could survive. _If we can keep this up we'll live through this, I just have to keep these two with me!_ She thought before she looked at Pidove as it was starting to sweet and wince. "We need to move now, grab your Pokemon and we run to that group!" She said as she pointed towards a group froming by the stage as they fought off three Maids, but before they could act on what she said, vines from the Flower Cat shot out and slammed into the Protect, breaking the energy shield and moving towards the girls!

"Tauros, Take down!" A voice called out before a quadruped bovine Pokémon with two horns and a light brown fur on its body and face with a thick, darker brown mane from its neck to its front legs crashed into the Flower Cat, sending it flying away from them. The girls saw that the Tauros had a harness on that had three canons; one on each of its sides and one on its back that followed its head.

"Ladies, I hope your all right, never fear, the man destined to be a High Lord is here!" A pompous sounding voice said causing the three teens to wince.

Chiyome looked at the Reptilian Homunculus as it stayed back and fired a few roars that seemed to command the other Homunculus; its seemed to know what to do to keep the pressure on the humans, but how? _I don't like this, these things, the change and the way that their so weak to Poison? And it's too smart, Homunculi are weapons, they can't think like we can, even humanoid ones only have an echo of sentience and a limited response range._ She thought as she tore apart a Flower Cat's neck before looking around, noting a few groups had been formed here and there, some people defended others while some tried to escape alone. "I haven't seen such chaos since the invasion." She muttered as a screeched caused her to turn and see Camellia walking towards her, her whip having destroyed a Song Wing as she panted slightly.

"At least there's a limit to these things, right?" Camellia said before the larger reptilian homunculus roared to the sky and charged at a gathering of people and lunged for a man who it bit into his right shoulder and threw him into another group of party guests as more homunculus charged at the downed people as their Pokémon tried to defend their trainers. _That thing, what is it? It's too powerful for this to be a hit, what in the name of Arceus is the reason behind this hell!_ She thought as she looked around the carnage, hoping to see anything that might explain what was happening. She saw three Maids and two of the Song Wings move towards the Reptilian Homunculus

"Keep your head in the game Camellia! Arbok, Acid on that Flower Cat!" Chiyome cried out as she blocked a claw slash from a Maid, her Arbok then spat a stream of a purple liquid at the Maid that screeched as it dissolved into a puddle.

Camellia shook her head and locked eye with her Mandibuzz and charged at the reinforcing Homunculus. "Mandibuzz, Toxic on the Song Wings, back me up!" She cried her whip flashed at the Maids as Mandibuzz fired a black liquid from her mouth at the Song Wings as she flew at them, scouring hits on some of their wings, sending both of the Song Wings to the floor, screeching as they fell.

The Reptilian Homunculus roared as it turned to them with bloodied teeth as it leered at them. Chiyome fought on, dodging vines from a Flower Cat and sliced its head off, however the body stayed upright and a vines shot out from the stump but Chiyome dodged backwards and slashed down with her claws, sending a purple energy wave that cut the Flower Cat down the middle, the parts bubbling as they dissolved. Camellia moved by her and slashed out with her whip, entangling one of the Maids and sending it into a Flower Cat as her Mandibuzz shot a Toxic onto the both of them, their screeches as they 'died' music to Chiyome's ears.

"Let's not be let them get ahead of us partner; use another Acid on the big one!" She called out and her Arbok spat another purple liquid stream at the Reptilian Homunculus only for it to raise its arms and a shield tanked the shot, the liquid falling to the ground as the women watch with shock. Camellia looked at the giant homunculus and saw something on the back of its hands through the shield and frowned. _That has to be the source of this shield, but how can we get by it?_ Camellia thought as she looked at the Homunculus before suddenly.

"AURA CANON MAX!" A voice barked and three dark purple energy beams shot over them and hit the Reptilian Homunculus on its right side and tore the arm away from its body. The Homunculus roared in pain before it raised its remaining hand a half shield formed and moved until it covered the top of the monster to horizontally. The two women and their Pokémon turned to see the Tauros with the cannon harness on and next to it was an older male teen with short platinum hair in a black tuxedo with a small white cape.

"I hope you ladies aren't to hurt." He said in what he hoped was a _cool_ tone but one that came off pompous and arrogant. Camellia only stared at him, starting to regret having come here if he was here before she turned and saw the Reptilian Homunculus's spines start to glow and it to head was pointed at the teen.

"Alfonse you idiot, don't grandstand!" Camellia cried out only for Alfonse to look at her dumfounded before the Reptilian Homunculus opened its mouth and fired a green beam that shot straight at him.

"Pidove, use Protect and block that beam!" A feminine voice cried out as a Pidove flew in front of Alfonse and his Pokemon before it generated an energy shield that tanked the beam.

"Pichu use Grass Knott on that thing's tail!/ Espurr use Psyshic to force it down!" Two voicecs called out before roots grabbed the Reptilian's tail and forced it the ground before its body gained a purple outline and it crashed to the ground.

Camellia and Chiyome turned and saw Madeline, Claire and Paulina directing their Pokemon as they looked out from behind an overturned table, Camellia only looked at them for a few seconds before she looked at the Reptilian as it tried to get back to its feet and the shield moved to cover its front as it tried to get back to its feet or at least point its mouth at them. As Mandibuzz flew to get a better angle to attack it a Song Wings flew at her screeching and fired a white beam! Mandibuzz dodged and Camellia looked around and saw the homunculi around the garden were converging on them causing her to stare. _How, what changed….the big one, its commanding them all!_ Camellia thought before she lunged to the side and saw the Reptilian was moving its head to look at her and cursed, wondering how they would survive this.

"Grass Knott Bellossom, around its mouth!/ You two Snivy!" Two voices cried out before green roots shot out of the ground and went around the mouth of the Reptilian Homunculus, forcing it closed before the beam it was building up caused its head to exploded, killing the monster. Camellia looked around and saw the other Homunculus dyeing as she watched and sighed. All around the garden the guards that had been trying to defend were moving about and trying to get some semblance of order back. Tsubaki walked over to her master and Camellia, Nudara trailing in her wake, a soft scowl on her face.

"A thousand apologies about this my lady, I knew I should have been more on top of where my father got the extra Maids." Nudara said as she bowed to them, her Bellossom following her example. Out of the corner of her eyes Camellia saw Alfonse bow to the three girls and walk towards his sister, his Tauros being recalled as he walked.

"Don't apologies my dear, assassinations attempts are always the fault of those who plan them, not the victims." Camellia said as Nudara looked up with a small smile.

"Yes, that's true. And it was great that you found that those things were weak to Poison attacks and thanks for the blade." Nudara said, handing Tsubaki back the knife she had been given before walking away, her Bellossom following behind.

"It was lucky that you did discover that thing about Poison attacks apprentice." Chiyome said to Tsubaki who only looked at Nudara.

"She noticed the effect Poison moves had on the Homonculus first." Tsubaki said as she watched Nudara talk with her 'friends'. Chiyome and Camellia looked at her student and turned towards Nudara and smiled slightly.

"That's….interesting. I think I'll have to ask my people to go over her file, and what is bothering you?" She asked Camellia as she picked up the arm of the Reptilian Homunculus and frowned as she looked it over.

"That shield, then the attack it did and finally calling the other homunculi, that's concerning even if you don't count counting the way they all…. _transformed_." Camellia said as she her hand adopted a black glow she touched the back of the hand and the arm started to dissolve until only a blue gem was left. _I think I need to let Magnus take a look at this, maybe he'd know something._ Camellia thought as she looked around and turned to Chiyome as she she brought out a hand mirror to look over her face.

"Chiyome, I think you need to do a little infiltration around here." Camellia said, Chiyome only nodded as Tsubaki sighed and looked at the teens as Alfonse walked towards his sister.

"So will it be in the light or in the dark taicho?" Tsubaki asked as she looked at the teens.

 **Aura Powered** ; An engineering modification that converts the fuel source to Aura energy, while in use mainly in the shadows and individual use, various societies have hidden variations of this to power vehicles or facilities, in the case of the Order they have anti tamper devices installed that destroy the power source if people try to hotwire any

 **Aura Equipment; Sight Gem** ; A gemstone on a chain that lets Homunculus Fighter see what their creatures see, usual paired with a controller

 **Colonization** ; Term for when the ancestors of those who founded the Domains came to their new world in the ancient past before the **Treaty of Defense** was created


	20. Chapter 20

I'M SO SORRY! This chapter just didn't want to write itself! And my RL has hit me harder and harder lately, I might have a new job soon and I have an interview schedule soon and….

Well this chapter just wouldn't write. I'm so sorry its two months late but I will try to do better for everyone who's following my story. Once again I'm sorry and I promise to have the next chapter ready by Halloween with a new AU of my story, chapters for my other series and maybe something else.

Gabby jumped from roof to roof as she smiled behind her helmet. She had stayed on the roof across from her old apartment until the fire tucks had arrived and moved off. As she moved over the rooftops she wondered about just what the organization were after when they sent those people after her. _It doesn't make sense, they had to have noticed that those two scum who were 'disposing' my 'body' didn't come back, do they think that we all became Chimera food?_ She thought as she moved over the rooftops.

"Hikari-chan, how's the suite handling after your first combat with it?" Happy's voice came over Gabby's suites radio, causing Gabby to smile as she jumped.

"Just perfect Happy, you've done wonders! But how's the tracker, is it still on the move, and what happened at the apartments?"

"Still mobile Hikari-chan, and Shadow is right behind you coming in from the other side. And the fire fighters came and put out the blaze, but intersected radio traffic….your landlord is dead and they found the order member you killed in your room." Happy started to sound a bit, well nervous as if she was struggling with something. "And they found a lot of videos of his tenates showering and a lot of blackmail, seems he was renting out rooms for meetings and recording them."

Gabby scowled as she went over everything she knew about that scumbag and every interaction with him and felt _dirty_. _I should have known when Kotaro found those recorders in my bathroom, I really should have. But why, was he just trying to make a quick buck, who the hell would…. I did see a car with markings that one time, but why there?_ Gabby thought as she landed on a roof top and moved to the edge, looking downwards at the city's streets as she tried to make sense about what she had just heard.

"I always thought that he was slimy….wait Happy how do you know what they found?" Gabby asked as she heard a weak laugh come from her com.

"I'll tell you when you get back here, remember you have to do now, he's stopping." Happy said fast before Gabby looked up ahead of her and saw she had reached the slums area of the city and pressed a button, causing a blip to appear on the inside of her mask and moved her head until it started to pulse as she was looking at a four story building.

Gabby looked at the building and activated her suits heat sensor and looked over the building, noticing that only the bottom two levels had people moving about. _Okay time to dust off the old infiltration lessons, first identify the target and the security. So people moving about on only two of four levels, why? And what was did they teach us, 'the wild animals are also a resource'…wait, there are no wild Pokémon around here….were they chased out then the inside might be open to the sky, that's why they don't have look outs on top!_ She thought as she looked at the building and she felt a smirk forming as she stood there.

"Hikari, I'm on the other side of the building, ready to make some noise and hit this place, what about you?" Kotaro's voice caused Gabby to shake her head and look towards the building, readying herself to move.

"Shadow, I'm ready but there are no wild Pokémon around here, think they chased them off? And their only using the first two levels, why?" Gabby asked as she looked at the building, Kotaro laughed quietly as she waited for his reply.

"Yeah, sometimes groups in the underground chase the wild ones off but that bites them because sometime they come back in force, a few times I've heard about gangs being found by the police because of this. But with the sickness that hit the town, this probably won't happen for a while. But this is good, they must not have been here long; our target must have run to the only base in the city, we take it down they'll have a lot less forces around here. Ready to strike Hikari?" Kotaro asked as Gabby checked her blades and her other weapons.

"Yeah, rules of engagement?" Gabby asked as she looked towards the building as she prepared herself.

"Our target must be alive, otherwise make sure you stay alive. Your team, what's the composition?" Kotaro asked.

"A Loudred, a Gliscor and a Crobat." Gabby said as as she waited for the sign to strike.

"I'll hit the lower level, you attack from the top. Wait for the explosion then come in swinging….wait, something's happening" Kotaro said as Gabby tensed, looking down at the street as four people came out of their target.

Inside the building the Order member with the Abomasnow had just finished telling the others what had happened at the apartment and waited for their reply.

"Are you kidding me, he's dead!? Fuck he owed me 20,000 Credits!" One of them muttered as before one of the others hit him in the head.

"Not the time." Was all he was told when he glared at the one who hit him. He scoffed as the base's second looked at the comms tech.

"So the your leader and you split up, hope he's back soon." The commander of the group said as he tried to think about what to do. _Why did those two want with the reporter? I know the rank and file were feed a story about how she tried to interfere in what she shouldn't but for all we really know maybe she was looking for a suspect at the motel._ He thought as he looked around and tried to figure anything out. Looking around he tried to think about what they should do as he listened to the others talk before he made a decision.

"Everyone get ready to move, we leave at dawn. If the boss is back good if not we leave him, I'm not letting the Lady down are you?!" He roared to them.

"NO SIR!" They roared as they broke apart and the commander sighed and looked upwards at the office the leader had started to set up and sighed. _So I have to destroy the computer before taking out the drives, but I'll wait until later. For now I'll get ready to move, wait I should send people to watch for him._ He thought as he turned.

"Squad 2 go and prepare the vehicles, Squad 4 go and keep watch for his return. The rest of you emergency departure plan 3." He barked as he watched the others go about their orders and never reacted as he heard someone walk up behind him.

"You know…. I thought I saw him talking to somebody from the other faction from Sinnoh a weak back." A voice behind him caused him to sigh and turn and look at a man with dark skin in a black short sleeve shirt, shorts and boots and with a visor over his eyes below his green spikey hair. The commander just sighed and shook his head, not wanting to deal with this now.

"Morgan, not now please? I need to….hey what? If you saw him why didn't you say anything?!" The commander demand only for Morgan to shrug.

"I said I thought I saw him, might have been wrong, might have just been a girl he was hitting on." Morgan said as the commander only stared before he walked away. Morgan looked at him and walked away, a smile on his face. _Of course the boss lady knows that you're working with Palmer buddy, don't worry your meet your fate sooner or later, maybe even tonight._ Morgan thought as he walked away, finger a Pokéball as he did so.

Gabby looked down at the four people as they split up and moved away from her. "Shadow, I see them. Should we hit them or let them go?"

"Follow the ones going left, I'll take the ones on the right." Kotaro said prompting Gabby to move after her targets. She watched as they moved towards an abandoned building and one of them moved into it as the other moved away from it. Gabby marked the building and saw a mark that Kotaro had made and went still. _The other two must be going to building to make an X with the target building at the center, are they watchers and if so what….their goal has to be that one._ She thought as she moved ahead of her last target and waited once she reached her goal, a perch a few buildings down from what she hoped was the right building. Activating her visor she watched as her target entered the exact building and walked to a room on the third floor facing the street he had just walked down. _He's watching the approach, then their waiting for someone but who….doesn't matter, we have to act._ She thought as stood there thinking.

"Plan one is a bust, hit them fast and go for kill shots, this place is more important than I thought. Take him alive if you can but don't risk your life to do so. We'll take everything from it we can carry

Wait a second, got anything that can fire a Hyper Beam and get back to you with you?" Gabby asked as a thought struck her.

"Yes but….leave a clue for the local police, might get some people asking questions they wouldn't like…. Smart idea." Kotaro said before closing his comms as Gabby smirked and threw a Pokéball that released a small purple bat like with long, pointed ears, yellow eyes with red pupils, and two sets of wings with two claw-like fingers near the middle and no legs. As it took to the air it looked at her in confusion but sniffed and started to grin as it detected Gabby scent.

"Yeah it's me, long story partner but we don't have time. See that room on that building?" Gabby asked as she pointed at the room her target was in. "Wait a few seconds then fire two Hyper Beams into that then come to where you hear explosions and get ready for a long battle." As her Crobat bobbed in the air she smile and dashed over the roof tops, ready to strike.

The commander looked around his office as he tried to decided what papers to destroy next as he sighed, the talk he had with Morgan made him more worried than before. Was that guy really one of the boss's spies or did he just see him hitting on someone. _I'll drop a line about it on my next message about it, he should tell me._ The commander thought before he heard an explosion. _That's from the_ Running out the room he looked across the empty space to the floor below and saw people had stopped moving and were looking towards suddenly the wall at the end of the hallway exploded outward. Turning he saw a man in a black bodysuit with a helmet standing there with a Rattata on his shoulder and a Noivern hovering behind him.

"SHADOW?!"

"FUCK THIS, I AIN'T FIGHTING HIM!"

"RUN FOR YOUR LIFE!"

As the people below him stared some screamed and three ran for the doors, as soon as they got outside three thrown daggers hit their heads and they fell to the ground as a lithe female in a white copy of Shadow's outfit landed and released a Loudred and a Gliscor.

As the commander watched his ten of his followers released their Pokémon, he saw three Beedrills, four Mightyena, two Beartic and one Abomasnow. Before more of his people could react three more throwing knives hit two of them in the head and one of them in the arm, causing him to drop the crossbow he was aiming at the female figure. Shadow looked at the Commander as he drew a sword and drew his own.

"Hikari, handle them down there, I've got this one." Kotaro said as the commander charged at him.

"Got it Shadow! Loudred, Echo Voice! Gliscor Launch Play" Gabby cried out as she threw a few daggers at the Order members, some of them falling back to get out of her range, but before their Pokémon could react.

"LOUDRED!" Her Pokémon cried out as it released a blast of pure sound that forced the Beedrill to doge before the Gliscor launched itself at them and grabbed two and threw them at the ground before spinning upside down and landed on the wall before it launched itself at the Mightyenas. As Gliscor attacked the Mightyenas it grabbed one and started to use it as a club, Hikari looked at the Beedrills and smiled. _Perfect, I was worried about this for a while but I think we'll…what is that?_ She wondered as she noticed a collar on each of the Beedrill before the collar's started to spark before the Pokémon spasmed and screeched in pain.

"Get up you stupid bugs!" The cry caused Gabby to look at one of the trainers in the back and she noticed that the Com-tech was looking at him as well with a look of horror on his face.

"What the hell are you doing?!" The Com-tech cried out only for the Order Member to laugh.

"Using the Wakers to get these weapons back in the fight, what else you idiot!" Order Member said with a sneer.

"Weapons?! Those are Pokémon!" The Com-tech spat only for the Order member to look at him

"Of course their weapons you fool, that's all they are! What are you a level three or something?" he asked only for the member to look at him.

"No a level two….wait what does that have to do with it?!" He demanded only to dodge to the right as one of the female trainers tried to kill him with a sword. "What are you doing?!"

"Taking care of a problem, I thought only level five and over would be on this team, no wonder your weapon didn't have a collar." She spat as she pointed at him and barked a command. "Beartic, Slash that Abomasnow!"

"No Abomasnow get over here and use Protect!" The target cried as he backed away from the others with a look of fear on his face. As Abomasnow tried to move away from the battle Gliscor suddenly threw the Mightyena in its claw at the Beartic charging at Abomasnow. Before the trainers could react Gabby threw two knifes that killed both of the trainers that had talked with her target.

"Loudred back the Abomosnow up, Gliscor Rock Tomb between us and them, one under me!" Gabby commanded as she ran towards her target. Her Loudred lunged at the still standing Beartic and crashed into it, throwing it onto its back. Before the Ice type could react Gliscor slammed a white glowing fist down onto the ground before stone pillars started to form, blocking the other Pokémon and trainers from the Com-tech as his Abonsnow moved in front of its trainer. As she ran towards her Pokémon some of the enemy trainers tried to grab her but her short sword sliced here and there, sending some to the floor with injures and killing two with slashes to their necks. As a rock pillar shot her upwards she spun in midair and threw six throwing knives and killed four of the enemy. As she landed next to the Comstech as her Loudred ran between the pillars before the final one came up and blocked the others on the floor from them she turned to looked at him as he stared at the wall, hearing the others curses and insult their Pokémon.

"Hey, you okay?" Gabby asked as she looked at the Comnstech as he stared at the dead body of the trainer who had shocked his own Pokémon.

"I thought they were trackers, the collars I mean." He muttered as he crouched by the body and fumbled to get off the watch the trainer had used. After a few seconds he gave an aha and pressed a button and the collar around one of the Beedrill dropped off and it flew backwards, hovering as it looked at two people. "They told me that they were for when we sent our Pokémon to track down things in the wild or they went after people, I mean I believed them."

"We can talk about that latter, right now we need to survive." Gabby said as they heard attacks started to hit the rock wall and two Fearow flew over the wall. "Poison Sting Gliscor, Loudred Hyper Voice!"

At her command her Gliscor pointed its claws at them fired white needles as Loudred screamed and forced the Fearow back.

Above them Shadow dodged a blow from the commander's sword and struck it with his own and pushed him backwards, frowning as he had heard what Gabby had and cursed under his breath, he hatted those things. _So the scum are using the collars, great. Got to deal with those first… I think I can handle this alone, and Venomoth should be here soon._ He thought as he dodged backwards and sparred a glance downward and saw the two Fearow move around for another attack and made a choice. With his free hand he signaled his Pokémon their orders and heard their confirmation before he charged at the Commander.

As they exchanged blows his Noivern and Rattata charged by them and attacked the Fearow and forced them to the floor and Rattata bit through its Fearow collar and jumped off it before the Fearow stared in shock at the remains of its collar. As it saw what had happened to its comrade the other Fearow bared its throat and Noivern bit the collar off. As the command looked down as the two Fearow hid with the Beedrill and he saw the Mightyena fire Dark Pulses at the wall he scowled as he noted the broken collars of the Pokémon behind the wall. _I should have known that those monstrosities wouldn't be loyal without the collars, and then there's these two. I have to do something but what, what can I do?"_ Hethought as he dodged a blow he sensed coming at him and tried to figure out a way out of this.

"Cloyster, Icicle Spear on the Mights collars!" A voice bellow caused everyone bellow to turn as icicles shaped like spears flew through the air and broke the collars of the Mightyena's that looked down and turned towards the people who had tortured them. As the four charged at the humans a figure suddenly appeared behind two of others and silt their throats, gurgling as they fell drawing attention from the last three as the Mightyena attacked their owners.

"Morgan, what the hell are you doing?!" The commander bellowed as Morgan laughed as his Cloyster hopped over to him.

"My job, thanks for being such a fool these last few months, I was able to get so much information for my boss, I'd love to stay but we have to leave….Cloyster Teleport us home!" He cried before both of them disappeared from the building. As the commander blocked and struck at Kotaro he scowled as he heard the Mightyena's kill their tormentors and race out of the building, dodging a beam that hit the ground and they bounded into the city.

"Crobat in here, attack the Beartic!" Gabby cried out as her Crobat flew into the building as the Commander dropped back and snarled as he saw the last three members of his unit trying to get away. The commander scowled as he reached for a Pokéball and looked at the lower level. _The best of my forces was a spy, the last three are nothing to talk about and theres the traitor and the bastard and his bitch, no choice._ He thought

"YOU ALL FAILED! YOU KNEW IF YOU FAILED THIS WOULD HAPPEN!" He bellowed as he threw it in front of the last three. From it appeared a large red bipedal dinosaurian with a large head with a beard of white feathers along its jaw and five orange spikes resembling a crown above its eyes. It had two short arms ending in two black claws, and two powerful hind legs with three black claws each with plated, armor-like ridges cover its knees, back, and the top of its tail. Around end of its tail was a metal armor that ended in a spiked ball and it had metal armor on its chest and back that had a seat on it with a visor over its eyes and head. The Pokemon looked around in confusion before it spasmed and screeched as the Commander pressed a button on his watch.

"SLAUGHTER EVERYTHING!" He screeched as the Tyrantum looked at the trainers and roared, biting one of their heads off. The other two fell back and started to look for a way out as the last two Beedrill with collars on flew into the air.

"What did you do?" Kotaro demanded as he looked down at the battle as the two trainers threw out to Pokéballs and released two Machamp that charged at the Tyrantum.

"Meet my best weapon, the collars can of course be taken off so we built them into the new armor. It's just a prototype but we have wonderful plans for the weapons once a few….minor problems are dealt with. " The commander chuckled as he caught the Pokeball and dropped it, breaking it before he drew another sword and crossed them. "Of course that beast is so mad it'll escape to the city and slaughter most of the people, I wonder how the reporters will tell the tale?"

Kotaro just starred and before he activated his aura and embedded his blades with his Poison Aura and moved at the commander. _I have to finish this one before she gets hurt!_ He thought as his blade slashed

Gabby saw the Tyrantum above the wall and swallowed. _We can't let that think out into the city, we can't. Got to contain it._ She thought as she looked over at the Comnstech. "Get away, I'll handle this. Gliscor, Rock Tomb wall all along the wall with the door, now, Crobat go high and start charging a Hyper Beam, Loudred get a Protect ready to tank and shots it makes!" She cried as she jumped to the top of the wall and looked around. she saw that the Fearow had gotten back into the air and Novorn had Rattata in its feet and was hovering next to them, one of the last two trainers was dead and the last one was backing away as the Tyrantum feasted on one of the Beartics before it raised its head, forming a ball of energy in front of its open jaws that grew until it was bigger than its head and it became a beam of energy that shot at the flying Pokemon, they dodged but the beam hit the formed a hole that the moon light shined down.

Kotaro sliced through the Commander's swords, his own glowing purple in the light of the moon as the commander looked at his blade before whipping his head to stare at Kotaro.

"Your…gurgle." The Commander gurgled as he brought a hand to his neck that Kotaro had sliced through as he began to talk. Looking at the battle he saw the Tyrantum had finished the last of the enemy trainers and threw itself at the new wall of rocks that blocked it from the street.Kotaro threw a Pokéball at it but the armor flashed and the ball dropped to the floor. _No choice we have to kill it._ Kotaro thought as he looked at the rampaging Despot Pokémon and clenched his sword as he looked at the monster as it rampaged, Gabby and her team and his trying to contain it. Venomoth choose that moment to fly in through the hole Kotaro had made earlier and hooved next to its trainer, cooing softly. Kotaro spared a glance at him and smiled, happy that it was safe and the tide was turning in their favor.

Gabby threw a knife at the Tyrantum and it moved its body and the Tyrantum spasumed as the armor it had on set a shock through it. Gabby gritted her teeth as she saw blood seep from under it and realized that the armor was bolted on. _There's no choice at all, we have to kill it. But how, its armor blocks all the shots we can use._ She thought as her Gliscor tried to hit its eyes as the beast tried to take a step forward.

"GET IT TO BACK UP, I'LL FINISH IT!" Kotaro called out as Gabby saw standing on the broken segment of the next floor. She nodded at him and barked her commands.

"Crobat, fire Hyper Beam! Loudred Echo Voice and Gliscor Acid!" She called out as she jumped backwards. Her Crobat fired a yellow beam of energy that merged with the purple liquid Gliscor spat from its mouth and the blast of sound from Loudred before the combined attack hit the Tyrantum and forced it against the wall bellow Kotaro.

Kotaro leaped and slammed his glowing sword into the Tyrantum's head and the beast went still before it crumpled to the floor. As Kotaro got off the beast and removed his sword from the dead body he looked at the comstech who stood there staring at him.

"Hikari go and see what you can find, leave anything that might point to these bastards being bigger beside the Pokémon over there. I'll get the collars off the last of them and they can all go, but as for you sir, I'm sorry about this, but we need to have a talk with you about your…former associates." Kotaro said as the man nodded as he recalled his Pokemon.

"From the waters we come, to the waters we return. A life is a gift given to us, in time we pay that gift back, some after a long time others short. The one who goes before us was an adventurous soul, one who wished to brave the unknown, to see beyond what was in our haven. May she have found all that she searched for in the Great Flow." Tiderea said. She was wearing a blue robe with a large blue pearl on the front. She stood in a chamber on the edge of a small river that led to a circle of stones under a glowing circle above the stones. As she stepped back from the edge of the water other people moved towards the water and put small boats onto the water, each one had a candle and a few small items on them. As the boats floated towards the stone circle Vivian clasped her hands as the people around her did the same as four women in similar robes as Vivian moved before the water and put their hands on it, a glow flowing from their hands to the stone pillars as the small boats moved into the circle. As they floated within in it a wall of energy formed between the stones and after the last boat floated within the ring a bubble formed and brought the boats through the glowing circle and out to the surface where they would float off, a small Aura gem in the boats would set them on fire after a short while.

Vivian moved through a cave as the people followed her, after a few minutes of silence they came to a door that she opened, revealing a darkened room. As she entered the room lite up and tables with food were revealed as the people came in and started to move about the room, getting food or talking about Nimue as they went. Vivian moved among them, giving well wishes to the mourners as she went.

"I can't believe it Vivian, I just can't believe Nimue went out like that." A gruff older man said as he sat against the wall, a tear dropping from his right eye.

"All are called back when they are, it is us who remain that deal with it." Vivian said with a bitter and sad tone as the old man sighed and shook his head.

"Didn't think that the _Curse of the Underflow_ wouda gotten her though, she seemed stronger than that." The old man muttered under his breath

"The _Curse of the Underflow_? What are you talking about?" Vivian asked as she looked at the old man who looked at her and paled before stammering and walked away. Vivian looked after him and was about to follow him when she heard a crash. Spinning around she saw Tiderea with her right hand in a fist against a table. Coral was nearby trying to calm her sister down and sending looks around the room.

"Sis, this is a Rememberance, show some class!" Coral said as Tiderea just laughed and spun around, her eyes wild.

"SO WHAT, THAT BITCH WAS TOO STRONG TO GO OUT THE WAY THEY SAY!" Tiderea snarled as she looked at Coral. Vivian looked on, a frown forming on her face. _According to what they said, Nimue was killed by that Chimera saving Tiderea, and given how those two always acted no wonder she's behaving this way._ Vivian thought as people moved away from the sisters as Tiderea started to glow blue.

"And the Chimera ate her whole body, no way she died like that, she'd make a Shell and would have skewed its mouth!" Tiderea continued and Vivian stopped as she realized that Tiderea was right. _But that would only have worked if Nimue was conscience when it ate her, and if she wasn't then it was the chance of battle or…that Chimera did it itself._ Vivian thought as she swallowed, she would have to look into what happened later, what mattered now was to find a way to calm Tiderea down.

"Tiderea, that's no reason to act like this, calm down." Coral said as she raised her hands to her sister, two blue gemstones on her waist started to glow softly.

"DON'T TELL ME TO WHAT TO DO SIS!" Tiderea snarled before she swung a glowing fist at Coral. Coral swung her arms to block the blow and a blue shield blocked the blow, but the force Tiderea sent Coral back a few feet before. Tiderea looked at her sister with a blank look before a look of rage swept over her before she threw back her head and screamed. "RRRRRRRRRAAAGGGGHHH!"

Vivian winced and reached for her Pokéballs before Tiderea flew at her sister who met each of her blows with an energy shield until a puddle on the floor grabbed Tiderea's legs and threw her backwards. Vivian looked on as Coral's eyes started to glow as she walked towards her sister.

"Now then sisters will you calm down or do I have to go as wild as you?" Coral asked as Tiderea slowly got up and looked at her sister before she was engulfed by a blue aura and shot at Coral. Tiderea swirled to the side and kicked Coral's back sending her against the wall as the people who had watched them started to run out of the room with a scream. Vivian watched the sisters fought, two blue streaks that bashed against each other as they destroyed the room around them.

Vivian watched them as they moved and she suddenly frowned. _Something's wrong, those moves their countering each other perfectly. It's more like dancing then actual combat!_ Vivian thought as she watched the show the two were putting on, each move and technique the two of them using seemed to be about dealing maximum damage to their surroundings instead of each other. Vivian started to gather her wits and was about to step in when a tidal wave of water rushed into the room and pooled around the two sisters until both were nothing more than a head sticking out of a ball of water.

Into the room charged four women in blue leotards with shell like helmets that covered their eyes on their heads with each of them holding dual pronged spears and blue knee high boots on their legs. After the woman surrounded the two sisters another woman walked into the room. She wore the same as the other four with the exception of a blue green cap and her helmet revealed her eyes set in a hard stare at the two sisters.

"Tiderea and Coral Depthgem, why o why am I not surprised at what I'm seeing here? Even at a wake you can't let Nimue have the last word can you Tidey?" The woman asked as she looked at Tidera as she tried to struggle free.

"Let me down you stupid cop and I'll show you my last word!" Tiderea snarled as she tried to break out of the prison, her eyes gaining a blue glow until crowns were forced onto the sisters heads.

"Must you always do this sister, whenever you would get in trouble you usually drag me in behind you when I try and stop whatever you're doing!" Coral snapped as she looked at Tiderea who looked back at her sister with a look of scorn on her face.

"Oh don't act so innocent sis! Who's the one who tried to steal Nimue's old boyfriend before he came out of the shell!" Tiderea snapped as Coral went red as she opened her mother before both of the sisters mouths were covered by water leaving their noises free.

"You know I thin the two of you can rest your mouths. I think a few weeks meditating in the cells for a while, I'm sure you two can enjoy the solitude." The captain said as the spears of her four soldiers formed a blue energy sphere and the sphere two sisters were in were lifted and floated between the guards as they marched out of the chamber, Vivian thought she was seeing things but she was sure Tiderea smirked as she and her sister were taken out of the room. The captain looked around the damaged room and the food on the floor and sighed as she shook her head.

"I'm thinking this will take a while to clean up Miss Vivian?" The captain asked as Vivian snapped out of her thoughts and sighed as she looked around. Soup was spilled, breads were broken and crackers were all around them. All in all it might be easier to call in a Muk from the waste department to eat it all then spend more time on it.

"All in all I'll just need to clean up the plates captain, good luck holding them." Vivian said as she got to work, a frown on her face as soon as she heard the captain leave. _They wanted to be captured! Why would they want to be sentenced to solitaire for weeks…unless they won't be in solitaire for weeks. But why what is the end game here and what did he mean 'Curse'? I think I need to talk to him about that, quietly if his reaction was anything to go by._ She thought as she finished up and walked away from the room to call a trainer with a Muk.

Tiderea smirked as she and her sister were led into the prison complex and both of them were let out of the spheres, she landed on her feet but Coral landed on her rear.

"Couldn't you have warned me before you dropped us?" Coral whined as she got up and stretched.

"They had to make it real sister, and where'd you get those Shield Bracelets anyway?" Tiderea asked as Coral preened.

"I bought them a few days ago at the market, got a good deal for them too." Coral said with a smirk until a cleared throat caused them to notice that Matriarch Selene was standing before them, a serene smile on her face.

"I trust that you two are finished with your acting?" Selene said causing the sisters to nod. "Good….THEN GET READY! The fact that we never recovered Nimue's body is already making the rounds! Within the next few days the rumor that she survived will be brought up and gathers might start searching for either her or the sign of the Chimera that we said killed her!"

"Calm down Matriarch, we'll find her. And once you….adjust her memories of what she experanced in the outer world this and the next few generations will stay in our sanctuary." Coral said as Selene sighed and nodded.

"You must find her before anyone who doesn't know our truth discovers anything that shows she's still alive until we can fix her. Everything our ansectors have built is on you two girls, do not fail us all!" She barked as the sisters bowed with their right hand over their hearts.

"By your will we will succeed, by your leave we depart." Tiderea and Coral said in unison as they departed the room.

As soon as they left the room Coral started to smirk. _I can't believe it, I finally get to see the main land and learn what's there and all we have to do it hunt down Nim!_ She thought as she looked at her sister.

Tiderea leered savagely as she led the way, her mind racing. _Round two Nim, round two. And if you were so injured you lost a limb or two….well that's just a travesty, isin't it?_ She thought as she moved towards the portal they would depart from.

Cleo looked out from the jeep as the desert dwellers lead the way towards a small mountain illuminated by the moon. They made a strange convoy as they traveled through the desert, people in jeeps and on Pokémon, they had been moving since a short time after they had escaped from the Golems defending the Oasis Palace. They had all gathered as the sun set, most of them shaken that things like golems were real, and that the students were leaderless until Cassim had stepped up before Asim could even speak. The few machines they had with them had shown that the field that disabled most other electronics and scared off Electric Pokémon had be strengthened, with what supplies the group had they couldn't make it to any of the towns. Cleo was about to offer to fly to get help but she knew that if she and Asim did that then all who came back would find are the corpses of the students. Then the raiders had come forward and offered a rest stop and a chance to gather the water the students would need to make it out of the wild. After a short discussion the expedition had agreed to take a chance, Asim had sent her a look and she had nodded, and the two of them had come with the others.

"There's the mountain, once we're there we should be safe." She frowned as she looked back at Mathayus, their jeep was leading the convoy and

"And the expedition will be able to leave from this place once we're done?" Asim asked acidly and nodded back at him.

"Yes, you have my word. But since their leader was under the control of a Devourer, the most we will do is look over what they found and brought but they will be allowed to leave." Mathayus said as he nodded to Asim.

"Still can't believe that old bastard is dead, or he was being controlled. Still it makes sense if you think about it, I did wonder where he got the information about that place from." Madeha said as she stretched and stood up to get a better view of their desitnation.

Cleo looked at the mountain and wondered how they kept people from knowing it was there. _It has to be Aura Artifacts, but how are they powering them? I know that this Domain was the hardest for people to make towns in but what could cause people to make something, why did they even make it?_ Cleo through as Mathayus pointed towards the mountain.

"There, to the left side, that the way into the caverns." Mathayus said as Madeha looked at the mountain with wonder.

"Are the caverns natural or did you make them yourselves?" Madeha asked as Mathayus laughed a little.

"Both, my ancestor found this place and it had a few caves along the side with hidden opening, perfect place to hide! Over the centuries we've built it up and tunneled up, down and around it and it's probably able to hold as many people as a small town." He said with a grin. Cleo looked at him and shot a look at Asim who nodded, letting her know he had picked up on the word _ancestor_ as well. _So besides being a leader he's related to someone who found their home, then he's important. That makes the fact his group were trying to keep that monster in the ruins asleep was a lot more important than I thought._ Asim thought as he drove the jeep towards the side of the mountain.

The convoy entered a large cavern lit by crystals on the ceiling and after a few moments people and Pokémon came out of tunnels, some of them had weapons drawn but they lowered them when they saw Mathayus get out of the jeep and raise his hand. One of them seethed his sword and moved towards him, a brown colored Growlithe following behind him.

"Mathayus what are you doing back with these people, what happened?" He asked as he reached them.

"The sleeper woke up brother, but we're lucky, it seems that the apprentice betrayed his teacher and took his place." Mathayus said as the man looked at him before he started to curse and shake his head.

"Then all the golems that monster made are active then, he wasn't one to take betrayal lightly so you had to bring them here if they wanted to survive." The man said as he looked around at the convoy. Mathayus nodded and gestured towards a side tunnel as the expedition got out of their vehicles and the tribesmen who had guided them started to lead them towards the tunnel, Mathayus turning towards her, Asim and Madeha.

"Please, come with me, our leader will want a report and I think you two should tell her what you saw in there." Mathayus said as Cassim came towards them. "Will you come with us, I'm sure my….she won't mind someone else along and since you're the leader from what I can tell she'll want to talk to you."

"Well I suppose I should talk to the leader of your people, to thank her for the hospitality you've shown us at the least. Marshal what about you?" Cassim asked only to be ignored by Asim who looked at Mathayus in a level stare before looking at Cleo who nodded slightly.

"I'm not letting my apprentice alone with you." Asim said as he walked in front of Cleo and Mathayus nodded after a few moments. Mathayus led the way down a hallway and up a spiral ramp up three levels until they reached a silk barrier that Mathayus pushed aside to reveal a modest looking room with an open window that moonlight shinned through. At the center of the chamber was a lit fire pit with a tan skinned grandmother looking woman in a black robe with a black shawl on her head sitting with her eyes closed, next to her a small Pokémon that resembled a tan figurine made out of clay. There were arching, red markings over its closed eyes with a red stripe encircles its body and formed a ring on its belly. Its arms were flat appendages and a spike protrudes from the top of its head and another, smaller spike under its body. As the group moved towards the fire the grandmother looked up as they approached and smiled at them.

"Ahhhh. So your raid was repelled Mathayus. By the fact that these people are with you I would guess that the apprentice was the sleeper?" She asked causing Cleo and Madeha to stare as Asim eyes tightened and Mathayus just sighed.

"You've _seen_ this then grandmother?" he asked causing Asim to stare at him before looking at the old woman in shock as he realized what he had heard. _A seer, here?! This explains much about how the tribes can survive, they must have had people born like this to know when the old guards tried to conquer them._

"I saw many different version of what could happen after you were captured my boy, but tell this old woman what happened and introduce those you brought with you while you all rest a bit." The woman asked as she gestured for them to sit down around the fire.

"Yes grandmother, the attack went about as well as you suspected it would, but we had to." Mathayus said as the group sat down. "After the golems all woke up and attacked, we fought with the outsiders and then the apprentice and his partner escaped into the under river before we had to escape from the site."

"'Under River'?" Cleo asked as the old woman chuckled lightly as she opened her eyes to reveal milky orbs that looked right at her.

"Yes My lady, the Under River, one of the few relics of the old Empire that once ruled here." The woman said as Madeha straightened and looked at Cleo as she stared at the woman in shock. "In the ancient past, well before your people came to these lands this continent was ruled by those who would create the Devouring style, and then came the rebellion against these horrors that destroyed this place and took life from all but those who either slept or hide as our ancestors did."

"Then the Doc was right, there was a united culture on this continent that died out!" Cassim said as he looked at the woman who chuckled lightly.

"Oh yes, there was a great culture in these lands in the ancient past. But after a while darkness crept in by one who wanted an easy immortality, and thus were the Devourer's born." The old woman said as she looked around the rooms. "Still I didn't think that that this would be the road we would take, I glad my teachings made more of an impact on you then theirs did."

Cleo looked at Mathayus as he looked at her and something in her started to worry that they knew who she was, so great was her concern that she almost missed Assim's question.

"But what is this 'Under River'?" Assim demanded as security concerns for the Domain and his principle going through his mind.

"The ancients created many artifact and wonders that used Aura to improve life, one of the first were tunnels that connected to the sea and others that connected Salt from the water, leaving behind fresh and pure water that flows through tunnels with many openings, one of whichj goes to the source of the Great River and feeds into it. Those wonders are the way we always collect such pure salt to trade with your people milady." The old woman said as she looked at Cleo who looked shocked as Assim slowly reached for his Pokéballs until the woman held up a hand. "Calm yourself Marshal, not a single one of my people are a threat to you or the High Lord."

"High…High…High Lord?!" Madeha and Assim cried out in shock and looked at Cleo as she removed her necklace and her skin darkened and her hair changed color and she stood up straight from the crouch she had been in, revealing herself as she looked at the old woman as Mathayus stood and walked to stand behind her as Assim stood up and stood behind Cleo.

"I greet you, oh Leader of those who are called in your ways the Wastland Protectors, what knowledge I have of your tribes says they alone are led by you, the Blind Seer." Cleo said formally as Assim ahhhed.

"I received your greetings oh High Lord of the Desert Domain and I bid you welcome to our home. May this be a good meeting between us and led to a lasting peace and in time unity between ourselves." The old woman said as both Madeha and Assim looked on, sure that they were watching history unfold before them.

"You're a possibility seer, aren't you?" Assim said as he looked at the woman who giggled a little as Mathayus smiled behind her.

"Grandmother Nalia has shepherded our tribe for years. Many times her leadership has been the difference between life and death for us out here." Mathayus said with a grin as the others looked at him.

"Have Chimera been that much of a problem out here?" Cleo asked in horror as she cursed herself. _I know I said I would only hold the position until someone else who could handle it came along but I thought my policies on Chimera tracking were working damn it!_ Cleo was so worried that she almost missed the sigh of Nalia as Mathayus looked embarrassed.

"No, not Chimera child; your work has slain most of them when they appear. I'm ashamed to say this but we of the desert…. We've fought wars between ourselves that you people never even knew happened. We are the descendants of rebels, survivors of the ancient empire those who hid, we don't trust beyond our tribes and battle has been the only way in some cases to solve our issues." Nalia said as the others looked on.

Cleo looked at the two people and her mind was going crazy. _I know there's a lot about the desert tribes that we never knew, but this? I have to set up a time for them to come and talk with me, if this is as big as I think it is I need to tell the Master everything they'll tell me._ She thought as she looked at Grandmother Nalia and "Where could he have gone, that…. _apprentice_ who escaped from the ruins. Who was and when did he come from?" Cleo question caused Nalia sighed and shook her head.

"The who is complex, we don't know his name but he was the apprentice of the Devour lord who ruled from around the oasis to the Great River. They were many 'Lords' in the mother Desert according to the old tales, but where he could go, I can't say. He could be going to a secruit base he or his master set up or trying to find others like him, I have no idea where he is going but I am confident that you will see him again." Grandmother Nalia said as closed her eyes and smiled serenely.

"If he is a threat I need to know more." Cleo said causing Mathayus to start to grit his teeth only to stop when his grandmother raised a hand.

"I saw a blue serpent join a bloody claw, I saw a flame grow stronger and gather to it a tornado and twin of blue and purple. What that truelly means my dear, I'm sorry but you will have to find out by but that is for tomorrow. For now, come and joins us for our evening meal, we'll give you all supplies and you can go back to 'civilization' in the morning." Nalia said with a chuckle as she stood up

As the group followed Mathayus and his grandmother away from the room Madeha looked at Cleo with a note of awe in her gaze. _I can't believe that she's the Highlord, I can't believe it. I mean she would never do this?_ She thought as the Cleo put her necklace back on and her disguised reappeared.

"Surprising, isn't she?" Assim asked from behind them. They turned and looked at him and paled when they saw the smile he had on. "Now I trust that you two will keep who she is quiet, won't you?"

Madeha shivered at the tone as the two of them nodded, suddenly realizing that he was probably the Domain's head Marshal and she swallowed as she realized what he could do to them if he had to. They came a large chamber with the expedition sitting with the tribe's people as children either ran around with each other or talking to the expedition members as they ate. As they walked towards a group of their friends she saw Nalia and Mathayus gesture for Cleo and Assim to sit with her and her grandson.

"There you two are, we were starting to get worried!"

"Hey Madeha have you seen the patterns they use on their art, doesn't it remind you of something?" Another asked as she pointed towards pictures on the walls. Madeha looked at the paintings on the wall and recognized the patterns from many of the Doc's strange artifacts he had collected over the years and knew he and Grandmother Nalia had to meet.

"Anything we need to know Cassim? You and Madeha are kinda quiet." Cassim looked around at the others looking at the two of them and shared a look for Madeha and shook his head when he saw the look in her eyes.

"Nothing guys, nothing that might impact us." Cassim said as he started to make a plate of food.

After a while one of the tribesmen went to where Nalia was entertaining Cleo and Assim and started to talk to her quietly before gesturing towards a trio of fire pits and she laughed and got up. Everyone quieted down as she walked and with a smile she looked at the people as she sat down before the largest fire and threw a handful of powder into it, causing the flame to change color to a pure white with a purple center. As children started to gather Nalia chuckled, her voice seemed to echo around the chamber. "Well now everyone, its story time again, which one will it be this time?"

"How about the Rose and the Viper?" A man called out as his neighbors laughed and hit him on the shoulders.

"No the Brave Little Earth Hound!" A girl holding one of the Growlithes cried out.

"The Giant Slayer!" A child called out before everyone hushed and Nalia laughed a little.

"The Giant Slayer, that sounds wonderful. For our guests let me give some content, in the ancient past the Desert was the site of many city states, on this side they created Golems and the other side they made homunculi to fight each other, their Pokémon only existed to power their creations." Nalia began as the children smiled. Cleo looked at Madeha who had gotten out a Pokégear. _She must be recording this, still this is amazing. If what she said about the past is true this has to be part of their history._ Cleo thought as she leaned against the wall.

"In those days of old, our people were slaves who fought or worked for the pleasure of those who ruled, but this wasn't acceptable for _him,_ not for Bahadur." Nalia words caused Cassim to twitch and his eyes to widen, something Cleo and Mathayus saw.

"He had always taken the hardest work, he had always tried to lift up the spirits of his fellows through their work and he was such a noble soul that even the guards who were loyal to the Lords looked to him as one who they would follow in a crisis. But one of the lords hated him so much, he planned Bahadur's death as a key component of a plan to finally break the deadlock between the forces of the Golem and the Homunculi. He made sure noble Bahadur was among those sent to make what the lord said was a monument in the shape of the Lord of the Skies Rayquaza but the truth was far different." Nalia said as she threw some more powder into the fire and the fire pit burst a green flare.

"The nobles sent their forces to fight as the time for battle came but those who worked on the monument stayed, something that hadn't been done, when the battle cry went up all came. And so Bahadur was not surprised when people began to disappear, he thought that they had merely left the site to join the battle but then an old man he knew preferred the act of making to destroying, thus did he start to grow concurred. He snuck out one night and followed the man tracks he found back towards the work site where only the vile noble and his people went, but what he found was a horror of the dead." Nalia said as she threw powder into the flame, turning it black as the children started to grow afraid, some of them grabbing each other as they listened.

"He found a pit of the dead, each body a single cut on the neck from where the victims had been bleed. Bahadur searched and found the Noble killing a captive with others chained up and realized the monument was in reality a giant golem. He staggered back and ran for the wild, hoping to reach the rest of the lords for such as the Vile one was doing was deemed illegal by all rules of war. But the Vile one had planned for this and Bahadur found himself under attack by the guards, for the Vile one paid their leader to make false claims that noble Bahadur was a spy. But one didn't believe this and fought with Bahadur to escape into the wilderness where he joined Bahadur when he heard the horror that the Vile one had done." Nalia continued as she threw white powder into the fire. The children looked at the fire as shapes of a white Rayquaza appeared as Cleo shared a look with Assim as they both began to worry that this had really happened, even Cassim was starting to look worried.

"Bahadur and the guard had many adventures and gained loyal companions, Pokémon and they awoke their Auras, all of them growing stronger until they confronted the Vile one. But while our heroes had fought to gain strength the Vile one's plan hand been finished. He had finished his Golem and when a cheramony for peace between the two sides of the River was to be held his forces appeared and started to slaughter them. As the survivors tried to escape the Vile one laughed but then Bahadur and his band along with a group of rebels attacked the great golem. Our heroes fought to the control center of the Golem and fought the Vile one in single combat as he friends held off the Vile ones followers as they finally finished their….one side hatred. As the Vile one died he ordered his Golem to dive into the sands to deny his creation to all but his decedent so Bahadur and his friends escaped to the skies, but this was not the last of their adventures, but those are stories for another time." Nalia said as she threw one last bit of powder and the flames died down, causing the children to moan as their parents started to gather them up and led them away towards a cave slopping down and people came and led the expedition away, Madeha talking excitedly about the story with some of her classmates, excited about the look into the culture

As the others left Cleo walked over to Nalia who sat and waited for her. Cleo looked at the old woman before she spoke. "That story, it actually happened didn't it?"

"Oh yes. We lost the particulars and the location of what side of the River it was but that was a true account all things considered." Nalia said as Assim felt faint as he thought about how powerful the golems that defended the ruins and a larger golem, a monument sized that people could ride in was somewhere out there?

"You have no idea where it is?" Cleo asked as Mathayus just shook his head.

"We searched for generations in the deep desert and many of our traders among the cities would camp outside the walls so their Pokémon would search but nothing. My dad thought it might be still moving out there." Mathayus said as he shook his head.

"The ancients were terrible, but they created wonders and terrors that even now are still following their programing." Nalia said.

At the ruins a slender humanoid golem of black stones walked into the chamber that the sleep pillar had been in and looked around before finding the body of August. It looked over him and released a beam from its head scanned the body from the feet up until it stopped at the chest and the beam caused a necklace to break through August's shirt to reveal a small black sphere with red glowing runes on it. the golem stared at the body until two blue stone golems walked into the room and picked the corpse up and followed the black golem out of the room. After a few minutes of walking the procession came to a Tyrantrum skull that opened to reveal a passage down that the golems moved through until they reached a chamber with a table with a black crystal above it. The golems put the body on the table and stepped back as the crystal started to release a black glow before a beam of energy was fired at the body that started to twitch as the skin stated to burn off as twin black glows started to form in the skull's eye sockets.

"I pray that that the worst doesn't awake in my life time." Nalia said as she moved away from the hall, leading the way to where Cleo and Assim would sleep for the night.

Magnus sighed as he leaned back in his chair. He had spent the last three hours looking over everything he could on Aura Tattoos and he was no closer to finding out just how to break the seals on his sister and nephew then when he began. After everything he had expected to have had something by now, but nothing. _I don't like this at all, the Order is very frugal in their Aura use so what, what is this an experiment or something else. Did they find a lone sect and take the knowledge but how did they learn to use these to hold back what he is, I mean my nephew's not human so how?_ He thought as he looked over what few notes he had made and sighed as leaned back looked up at the ceiling.

He got up and started to move about his room, walking around a model of the continent and started to mutter to himself as he walked by towers of books, strange looking floating stones and models on small tables as he tried to figure anything out. _What is really bothering me about this, really?_ He thought as he walked around his study as he tried to think about the problem about what was holding Ash back. Suddenly he walked into a surface and he looked forward and saw an energy barrier in front of him. He stepped back and turned around until he saw a humanoid fox Pokémon with a yellow face and a robe of red fur holding a branch, its eyes glowing.

"Delphox!" Delphox said with a deadpan tone as its eyes stopped glowing. Magnus shook his head and stepped backwards before the wall could disappear and he would fall face first to the ground, frowning at his Pokémon.

"Delphox, what were you thinking? Why did you make me walk into a Protect?" Magnus asked as he looked at his Pokemon and when it gestured towards a flashing light on a machine on the wall he frowned again and looked at his Pokémon. "We will be talking about this later."

He walked towards the machine and pressed a button and turned as a hologram of Camellia still in her dress appeared in front of him.

"Ahhh Cam, how's the desert and how was the party?" He asked with a smirk forming only to fall when he saw the scowl on her face.

"The party and the host were bearable, at least until the homunculi transformed." Camellia said as Magnus went still and looked at her with shock in his eyes.

" 'the homunculi transformed.' Are you saying that they….changed? How many and what model types" He asked as memories played behind his eyes as his Delpox started to growl. Camellia nodded as Magnus started to pale.

"There were three models that I saw change and then a fourth appeared. Humanoid Maids, they grew claws and ram horns, Beast type Flower Cats with strange collared flowers grew saber fangs from their mouths, and green vine and mouths from the flowers and Avian type Song Wings that grew larger, spikes from the middle of their wings. And then there was this ten foot tall reptilian biped, I haven't seen such combat model Homunculus in a long time." Camellia said as she looked at him. Magnus frowned as he listened, something about that sounded _familiar,_ something about it made himthoughtful as he tried to figure out why. _What is it; something is bothering me about this, but what. This is just like the tattoo's that are affecting my nephew…wait tattoos? Why did I use that word, well of course it's because of them….that's it. That's what bothering me about both things, but their all dead, aren't they?_ He thought as he paled and his eyes widened as Camellia watched.

"What is it Magnus, what's wrong?" Camellia demanded as she looked at him.

"It was an adventure Delia, Vlad and I had during that summer you spent on the circuit, it started innocently enough, a quest to go into the mountains to find wild flowers, we came across Homunculi, Inscet models that grew horns that shot lightning." Magnus said as he looked at Camellia as he tried to explain what he realized. "It was the first time we met those things, but then we came across their controllers, a strange bunch that hated Pokémon and used a kind of Aura Tattoos to give them abilities of both Casters and Auralists, and remember those Homunculi that attacked the entire continent during that year's Grand Performance?"

Camellia looked at him and remembered the old rumors that had gone around during that summer, and the strange Homunculi that had attacked before her turn. "Those things, they were like what I faced at the party? All these years I thought they were just artificial Chimera that went wild, I always wondered why there were so many of them." She mused causing Magnus to laugh.

"It would be a lot easier for us if that were true! Of course the three of us found a few things from the combat, my partner evolved and we found enough clues to let the Vlad's dad and his team find out about the conspiracy behind them. I always though they killed everyone involved, which is very bad if it's true." Magnus said as Camellia looked at him as she tried to understand just what he was saying.

"Why would that be….that means that someone else found out how to do what they did to make those homunculus, what did they do?" Camellia asked as Magnus got a chair and sat down and looked at her.

"Truthfully I don't know, I mean after that quest the only way we were involved was holding back the attack, I never looked into it after I became one of the Elite. I mean I had so much to do back then, research and development of my chains, my team needed to be built and Homunculi; well they always rubbed me the wrong way. I think I've actually gone out of my way to not learn about them." He muttered as he looked at Camellia who only smirked back at him, part of her happy to know that a genius like him had something he didn't want to know about. Camellia went still as she frowned as she remembered something and looked at

"I remember that a faction was trying to take over, something about how all Pokémon were Chimera spawn and they were here to cleanse the world? They, the makers, they all believe that?" Camellia's question caused Magnus to sigh and shake his head.

"The leader and about a third of them all sure, but the others? It was a lot like Delia's and her kid; something fucked over their heads and used the same kind of seals to keep them from getting back their memories. And the scum used those poor souls as canon folder, throwing them at our side with their Homunculus to break us according to the reports." Magnus said with a caused Camellia to wince and start to curse under her breath. _Fuck, this might be bad. If they used the same sealing method!_ Camellia thought as different scenarios went by as she tried to figure out the worst thing that this could be.

"How bad was it, really and how bad could this be?" Camellia asked after she gathered her thoughts. Maguns looked at her and sighed as he tried and succeeded at what this might be.

"According to the old man when I took over his position, that was the worst uprising his generation ever dealt with, and helping those few people they had been able to save, a nightmare. He always wondered if they got all of them, the best thing is that one got away and our _friends_ found them." Magnus said as Camellia raised an eyebrow at him.

"And that's the best case why?!" Camellia demanded only to go cold at the look Magnus sent her.

"Then our friends created those rune chain tattoos on their own, and who knows what else they might have hidden away." Magnus said as Camellia paled before shuddering, terrors she dealt with over the years flying past her eyes.

"And I thought I had enough nightmares from that quarter already, thanks. And to think I thought the most trouble we would have was the fact that the lord of this city is making a rail line to the Doman's capital." Camellia said only for Magnus to look up at this and frowned.

"He has the Domain's Highlord permission right….wait this is the Desert Domain, Lady Cleo is hands off, as long as no life forms are hurt she's okay with it right?" Magnus asked as Camellia nodded, looking thought full as she brought a finger to her mouth.

"He said it's only in the planning stage, but well that was before the Homunculi all changed, think its connected?" Camellia asked as she pondered what this twist might mean to the grand picture. _I know Chiyo is taking her student to investigate him on the down low, maybe I should check the high. I think I'll talk to him as my official position tomorrow, see if I can't shake anything out if him and look at the official report._ Camellia thought, her mind going in circles until Magnus coughed and she looked up.

"I'll be seeing you my lady, I have a few old records to look into. May your day be hassle free." Magnus said formally as he got up and bowed to Camellia who curtsied back.

"May your hunt for knowledge be fruitful my lord." She said just as formally and looked at him with a demure look that only held for a few seconds before she started to laugh as he joined her.

As tears came from his eyes he got up and shut down the call, still laughing as he walked out of his office and was able to get control of himself after a few more seconds, his Delphox following behind him as he walked. _Ahh Cam, never change beautiful, never change. Still this is good, if I have a way to study something like theirs then I can break it!_ He thought as he walked through the castle, moving downward towards the dungeon level, finally stopping before a door with a scanner next to it. He put an Aura empowered hand on the scanner and the doors opened to reveal rows of shelves with boxes, each box marked with a year or a sentence to tell what they held. He sighed and looked at his partner who sent him back an equally resigned look and both of them started to walk towards a table and looked at the room around them.

"Let's see, I think the old man said he put all of the reports in their own box, but would that just be the master list or everything." Magnus muttered as he walked down a row and finally found the box he was looking for. He frowned when he realized how light it was and sighed as he put it on the table. Opening the box a small binder was revealed and he shook his head as he took out the binder and opened it. "Let's see, "Bios of the leadership', no….. 'Tactics and mission data recovered', no….ah here we are 'Aura Tattoo's and treatments given to victims', it's in the second Aura row, box near the end."

Delphox eyes glowed blue and a box floated to the table and Magnus nodded to it as he grabbed the box and put it down before he opened it and looked down a mass of folders, each with a name as a label and he just sighed. _Of course they would have put all of the files together; I guess I have a long night ahead of me._ Magnus thought as he looked over the files before he pulled one out at random and sighed. "At least this might tell me who to talk to about how to break those seals at least."

She blinked her eyes as she woke up and moved her right arm up towards her face and saw that from her elbow down her arm was a strange red metal with a red gem set into the back of the hand that shined a soft red. She looked over herself and saw that her lower legs and other lower arm were made from the same red metal as her right arm and she was wearing a skin tight white body glove that highlighted her sensual figure. She blushed as she looked over how she looked and frowned when she realized that she _felt_ what the metal fingers that grabbed the material did. _Wait, how can I feel this, I thought prosthetic limbs couldn't feel! What happened to me, wait who am I?_ She thought as she realized she didn't know who she was as she walked to a window and saw what she thought was the ocean until it changed to a view of a deep forest for a few seconds before she saw wide plains. She noticed that she could see her reflection and saw that she had red hair and on her forehead was a crown with crimson red gemstones above both her red eyes.

"Where am I?" She asked herself. _Okay think….who's thinking?_ She thought as she tried to gather her thoughts and realized that she didn't know who she was. she got off the bed and

"How are you milady?" A voice asked from her left. She turned and saw a red robed figure with a visor where its eyes would be and a staff in its right hand.

"Who are you? Who am I?" the woman asked as she looked at the robbed figure.

"You are you, your body belonged to a woman who had been raised to be a fanatic for our enemies we captured. During her interrogation a Psychic bomb in her/your psyche destroyed who you/she was and implants that they had set in you damaged your body. We, that is, the organization I represent repaired you." The robbed figure said as the woman dropped back and stared at him. "From what we were able to discover about her before the bomb went off she/you were a fanatic who

"If I/she was an enemy why on earth wouldn't you let me/her die? What do you have to gain from this?" The woman asked with a confused tone.

"We stop them from accomplishing their objective, we save a soul that they would have damned. We save a soul who might join us." The figure said as the woman

"Join you I, don't even have a _name_ , how the hell could I even begin to help you people

"Then you feel nothing about those who twisted your former self? Nothing about how they made her a monster, a killer? Nothing about how they used and _killed_ her/you?" The robbed figure asked as the woman started to think and growled as she listened to him. _He's right, everything he's saying makes sense._

"When can I start?" The woman asked only to stop as she realized she didn't have a name to use.

"As soon as you're are ready my dear…." The man began only for her to inturped him.

"Whatever _her_ name was, that not me, I'm someone new." The woman said as she looked over her arms and at her reflection in the mirror. _I'm not her, I've been….changed. I'm a new being totally unaffiliated with my past self besides the body I have and even it's been changed a good deal from its 'factory make'._ She thought as she looked at her arms and decided she needed more information and made a decision.

"Very well, might I just the name Infernina." The man said as the woman looked at him.

"Why that name?" She asked as she looked at him.

"During your….recovery we unlocked your Aura, the energy that is the reason Pokémon can do elemental attacks. Everyone is born with an inner element sleeping within them, yours was the Fire. Think of your new arms and imagine energy flowing into them." The man said. The woman looked at her arms and did as he instructed and she saw her arms generate a red glow that felt comforting to her as she stood there. The glow died down and she looked at him with a proud look in her eyes, feeling at peace as she looked at him.

"Then I am Infernina." The woman…no Infernina said as she looked at the man nodded to her and gestured as a screen activated across from her bead and a tablet came up from the floor.

"Welcome my dear Initiate to the ranks of the Science Arcana, please use this tablet to select your first partner Pokémon from the list of who's available."

"Thank you…. You know I never got your name. and 'Initiate'? " Infernina said as she sat down on the bed and started to look at what Pokémon there were

"You may call me Magi Torcono, I am one of the lead scientists and medical officers of our group and Initiate is the first rank." Torcono said as he walked out of the room, leaving Infernina alone to think over what she was doing. _So the first thing I will ever remember is choosing my first Pokémon, I think I saw a tv show about this once._ She chuckled before looking confused before shrugging and looking over the Fire types.

Outside Torcono walked away from the room, his attention on reports he was seeing from his visor as he moved and sent replies mentally. _The contingent watching the route into Kanto will intercept any and all Chimera while trying to stay out of sight of any reaction forces sent against them. Final construction work on the superstructure finished; all forces to be sent to work on other final work, all level 4 technicians are to report to the engine chamber. All patrols are to increase to level 3 and increase range from ship by fifty percent._ He would have continued but a voice shocked him.

"So our new comer is up already, she believe everything you told her?" The question caused Torcono to pause both his walk and his mental communaction as he turned and saw a man in a dark cloak covering his body, his face covered and a single red eye blazing from the hood.

"Yes she does and was told was the truth, is there a problem Zoku, are you afraid that one like you has appeared you might no longer be as valued?" Torcono asked as Zoku scoffed before he moved away from the wall and looked at him right where his eyes would be.

"Only that this is a dangerous game you decided that we would play, picking her out as one of the warrior division while having her

"We have told her the no lies, she has the rage we saw directed at her former masters, there is no problem." Torcono finished as Zoku started to laugh a little.

"And if she learns that the mind wipe is a result of our methods and a combination of her fightning against us and not a result of their actions?" Zoku asked only for Torcono to look at him with a flat stare from his visor.

"From what her former memories tell us the manta she tried to use to hold us back was something she was taught would create a wall, not us the energies of the process to turn her into a living bomb. I told her the truth as we know it, I see no reason for her to turn on us." Torcono said as Zoku turned away from him and started to walk towards another hallway. "Where are you going?"

"I got the orders to keep the Chimera from getting into Johto, figured I try out the modification my Mightyena got and get a few kills while I'm at it." He said as he walked, stopping when he was at the edge of Torcono's hearing range. "You know, my teacher told me once, there are three truths; yours, mine and the truth itself. I wonder what our girl will do when she finds out what the third truth is." Zoku walked off after this, leaving Torcono to stew in his thoughts as he stood there.

After a minute Torcono walked off, reengaging his cybernetics and looking over the reports. _Intelligence report on recent activity at mouth of valley, send to all departments that need it. Resupply request approved, party to be sent to local Den to trade newly captured Pokémon for funds request approved._

Zoku moved through the corridors and tried to keep his rage down. _I joined up because these idiots will give me revenge against my former masters, she's been drafted and mind wiped, not that we don't do that to our recruits but never to one who's going to be one of my rank. Still I'll just keep an eye on her for now, and strike if she's a traitor like I think._ He entered a large garage and moved towards a group of trainers on bikes and got on one, driving it with the trainers following him out into a wilderness and drove towards Kanto, his scanners ready to detect any Chimera they could find.

The moon shined down on a lake with a square building on an island in the center, search lights from smaller buildings along the shore lit up the waters around the island. "This is it, that final mission we did in Kalos got us the final piece of intelligence we needed." A figure in a black full body cloak said to twenty others dressed like it. As they looked at the lake they noticed lights and activity at ship's dock on the opposite side of the lake with a medium sized cargo ship that was being loaded by a crane.

"There's our target, the Prison of Zogrolo. It's the best international prison in the world; we've fought hard to get anything on this place so listen up for the review. The guards all have three Pokémon in common, a Gallade for short range, a Golisopod for long range and a Haxorus to carry them. Individual above sergeant rank might have Pokémon they've trained themselves. The radar allows them to see anything that flies, the island has lookout stations to see any boats that might try and make it there but we've found their Achilles heels, the first is a tunnel that leads to the island, it starts right there." The leader said as he pointed at the bottom of the cliff they were on.

"Taicho, what about the other end, they can't have left something like this free, it goes against everything this place is supposed to be!" One of his underlings asked

"The tunnel was made by a Chimera at least a century before the prison was constructed, I've scouted it out and nothing there even says that they know it's there. But that brings me to the second weakness; the ship." The Leader said as he pointed at the docks. "To keep the chance of someone taking the prison from the inside and holding out for long they only have enough food there for at most two days and resupply every night with a midnight shipment."

"So we infiltrate the lake and move under the ship while it transports the cargo and move against the guards when the ship docks. An explosion will sink the ship and cause chaos we can use, all we have to do move is wait as it sinks and then we can strike" One of the others said only for the leader to shake his head.

"No, the guard stations on the edges of the island all have sonar and the ship goes around the lake, total trip time half an hour, too long for any tricks we have to stay under it, no what we will be taking advantage of are two packs of Water types that have a rivalry here, Tentacruel and Tentacool and their rivals, a family group of the Totodile line lead by a Feraligatr." The leader said as he activated a holo map and two points on opposite ends of the lake appeared on it. "They both prey on the flora and fauna around here and they have fought each other over forging locations and with luck and two lures we can bring them to the ship when it reaches the docks."

"How boss, what will they do for us?" Another of the cloaked figures asked only for chuckles to come from the leader.

"I already dropped a lure for one and fixed the . In an hour once the ship is within the range of the Feraligatr pack they will detect a smell that will tell them there's food around the ship, and once the ship reaches the area of the island a device will activate that calls in Tentacruels. It takes about a half hour to get through the tunnel I found, half with me the rest stay here. Team one, with me. The rest of you, once the Pokémon packs meet, use your Noivern's to attack the island, make as much chaos as you can but come back alive." The Leader said before he dropped off the cliff face, five other figures following behind him as they moved downwards, all of them moving as quietly as the grave as they

By the ship the last contain was loaded on and the foreman sighed as he looked around. "Well that went easier than I thought it would."

"How so boss?" A voice from behind surprised him and caused him to jump before he turned and saw one of his workers standing there. The foreman sighed and shook his head.

"Don't sneak up on me, and it's because the crew all came down with food poisoning so a new group had to come and take over for the next few days." The foreman said as he looked up at the ship and frowned as he noticed a few of the sailors looking down at them as they worked. A cold feeling went down his spine as he turned and looked at his workers, forcing a frown off his face. "Come you idiots, keep it up, move the empty containers into the trucks! If we make it back to the office before too much time has passed I'll ask for a bonus for you guys!"

"GOT IT BOSS!" His workers cried out as they started to work a little faster as they went about their duties. As he moved he felt someone looking at him and it took all he had not to let whoever it know he felt it, but slowly reached for his belt and the Pokéballs there, ready to strike and defend his people if he had to, and he felt he would have to.

Above the dock in the ship's bridge a midget with blond hair in a grey outfit looked down and smirked a little. _So far so good, all we have to do is take the stupid prison and then we grab those three, get aboard the ship that'll come and then we can get back to base._ He thought with a smirk that fell when he looked at the foreman."So we've got them all fooled boss." A voice behind him caused him to turn and saw a man in a sailor's outfit.

"Maybe for now, but call team three and let them know to hold 'em until we pull out, I don't want anything to go wrong, tell them to use the Team Galactic uniforms we brought. And are our targets where their supposed to be?" The midget said with causing the other to snort.

"Our man on the inside was able to send them to solitary. But do you think anyone would even believe that the remnants of those idiots would even be able to do this?" The speaker asked as the midget snorted.

"If we take their leaders with us then they will, and they just need to think so long enough for us to leave the region aboard our ship, and sinking this thing will buy us time. Cast off, remember to go exactly as the helmsmen said to. " The midget explained as he looked at the other who only nodded after a few seconds as they locked eyes until he saluted the midget.

"By your orders Commander Carr." He said before he walked away, reaching for his radio as he did so. "Team 3 Stickup is ago, prepare for deployment using cover Stars, repeat cover Stars. All personal ship is in motion be careful"

Carr looked at the leader as he gathered his people to their trucks and Carr locked eyes with him for a few seconds before he got into his truck and drove off. "That one is going to be a problem."

About half an hour later, Carr looked ahead at the ship moved towards the docks and smiled. _So far so good now all we have to do was rush the guards when they take off the cargo then rush the prison on my Steelix, one good Flash Cannon and we're in._ He thought with a smirk before the ship suddenly lurched to the side and crashed into the docks.

"What the hell? Report, what was that?!" Carr demanded as the ship lurched again, sending him to the floor. Carr got back up and he stumbled to the window and paled; outside on the docks Tentacruels led Tentacools against the guards Pokémon from one side as Croconaws swarmed from the other while a Feraligatr fired an Ice Beam at a larger Tentacruel who formed a Protect and fired white needles at everything on the docks.

"What kinda hell have we stumbled into, this was a simple extraction mission for Arceus sake!" Carr snarled as he moved towards the door out of the bridge. "We're abandoning the plan; we're just going to rush. Team 1 with me, we'll wait for an opening and go. I want the rest of you to follow after us, somebody contact team 3 and call the ship now for a pickup in the courtyard after that activate the Jammer, everything else is abandoned, do not get captured!"

Outside the guards fought against the attacking Water types and the leader snarled as he looked at the two swarm leaders fought as their packs raided the docks. _I haven't seen it this bad in years, I can't believe this._ He thought as his Gallade kicked away a Tenticruel as Pin Missles from Golisopods in the rear gave them cover.

""Boss what's happening, what could have caused the two packs to attack at the same time?" One of his men asked as his Haxorus formed a Protect to tank Water Guns from a few of the Croconaws as others pushed an empty crate into the water and a few Totodiles carried it away, something new for their nest most likely.

"Nothing I can think of and the ship has a new crew for this run but what could they have done?" The commander began as he looked around. Taking a look at the docks he swore as he tried to figure out a plan. _Okay so the 'maws are the problem and the others are gathering around that side of the docks, they can give us cover while we retreat, yes that could work._ He thought as he nodded and made a decision "Never mind I want you to contact the prison, tell them we're falling back once the crew is off the ship, I want the long range radio up and running as soon as possible, tell them we've lost the ship and to prepare the secondary boats for emergency relief."

"Got it boss!" The guard said as he activated his radio and winced when a screech came from it. "What in the name of….!" He began before a Steelix exploded out of the ship with trainers on its back as Golbats swarmed out of the ship, at least half of them carrying trainers to the shore. As the Steelix flew through the air the dropped trainers moved towards the prison, releasing Raticates and Beartics as they ran, the Beartics calling up snow storms that caused the guards and attacking Water Pokémon to brace themselves as the snow

"This is a breakout! They must have caused the packs to attack so they could have an easier time attacking the prison!" The commander snarled as he looked at the wall of snow forming between them and the prison. "Nothing to do but deal with this here, once they leave we go!"

Back on the mainland the truck convoy had stopped and the leader was looking through a pair of binoculars at the island, cursing as he did so.

"I knew there was something wrong with those people, I knew it!" He snarled as he looked back at his trucks as his people looked at the island.

"What now Boss, do we head back?" One of the drivers asked only to wince at the look his leader sent him.

"If their tough enough and planned enough for that to happen I'm more worried about what they have planned for us, how's the radio?" He asked only for the person he asked to shake his head.

"No good Boss, can't get anything, must be somekinda jammer or something." Their leader looked around and got out a map and looked over the route and smirked as he found what he was looking for. _The best place for an ambushing force to hit us would be the pass, but that place there, there's enough space for us to circle and defend. That's the best we can do, I just have to hope we can hold out until they're done at the island or the forces there beat them off._ The leader thought as he looked around.

"Everyone back in your rigs, we're making for that rest stop before the pass, once we're there circle formation!" He bellowed as he got in his own truck and led the way towards the area he had chosen. _I just hope I can get my people out of this alive!_ He thought as his truck led the way towards what he hoped would be a defensible position.

The Team Rocket looked out from the places they had chosen to strike from when the convoy went through the pass waited with breath. The leader moved as he rubbed the cloths he was wearing, not understanding why they had to change into Team Galactic uniforms but ready to cause some carnage. _I just hope I can kill a few of those scum._ He thought as he licked his lips as he waited. He looked at the lookout and smiled when he saw her start to giggle, the sign he was waiting for.

"There our piggies, and their…not coming." One of the rockets said as she looked through her binoculars.

"What do you mean they're not coming?" The leader growled as he looked at her. The lookout kept watching the convoy and spoke with a confused tone.

"Their putting their trucks in a circle, what are they planning?" The leader went still as he heard the question and then he started to charge towards the path they had taken to get on top of the pass, bellowing as he ran.

"They know we're here. ALL FORCES ASSUALT WE TAKE THEM NOW!"

The convoy leader looked out at the forest around them from within the circle his people had made of their trucks and frowned. _I hope I'm jumping at straws, but I doubt it._ He thought as one of his drivers came towards him.

"Still think they'll hit us boss? The smart thing would be to run or take pot shots to…" he began before

"CHARGE!" A voice screamed from the trees as Pokemon charged out at them.

"Nope, I really think they will. Let's go Tyranitar!" He bellowed as his Tyranitar appeared and led the charge of the convoy's Pokémon at the attacking force.

The cloaked figures ran through the forest and paused when they heard an explosion far off in the distance. Raising a hand the leader called for them to stop and jumped into a tree and looked towards the island's shoreline. He saw the freight ship floundering and frowned as he saw wall of ice and snow blocking the path to the prison. _Someone else is making a play on this place, we need to move if we want to rescue the Master._ He thought as he looked down at his followers.

"Others are attacking the prison, we move now!" He barked before he dashed towards the prison with the rest of his party following behind him. after a few minutes more they reached the prison and heard the sound of battle on the other side and noticing that the walls were empty on their side, the Leader signaled the others to follow him as he scaled the wall and held up a hand to stop them from moving beyond him.

"We don't know who or what is behind this, we move and stay in the shadows until **I** decide we don't. Watch for any camera's and keep out of sight; if need be we only have to get the Master and not our target." He barked before they jumped off the wall and dashed towards the prison.

At the prison Carr smirked as a Hyper Beams from a few Raticates broke the walls and the Beartics charged at the guards Pokemon as he moved into the prison itself as the rest of his team dealt with the guards he led three people in. Inside Carr ran along the top walkway and looked down at the criminals within, some part of him wondering if they should let them out to further cause confusion. _If we can let them out after we leave, we might have another smoke screen._ He thought as they moved towards the section of the prison their first targets were in. After a few minutes they came to a room with two four cells, three of the occupied. One had two girls each in their late teens; one with blonde hair in large curly buns and the other with short lilac hair and the next cell had a man with red eyes and long, pale green hair, with two locks of it sticking out by his eyes and a man with glasses and blonde hair and wears a blue cowlick around his head. The last cell had a small older looking man with a blue green beard. They looked up as Carr entered the room and one of his followers went to the electric lock and connected a wire from a tablet to it and started to try and unlock the doors.

"Commander Carr, what are you doing here?" The blond asked as her cellmate looked at the work being done on the lock.

"We can talk about that later Annie, for now how goes the work on the lock?" Carr asked as the tablet suddenly sparked and the person holding it dropped it, cursing as he did so.

"No good boss, they've got something that fries anything without a security handshake protocol in it and from what I saw before it booted me out its set not to open until sometime tomorrow." Carr winced at the report and sighed.

"Someone tried to get out a few years back, so they switched over to this method. Last I've been able to figure out they set it up for when the freighter docks for a few hours." The blond said as he lay back down on his bunk as the green haired man snarled.

"Smart scum them. So how'll you getting us out of here?" The man asked as Carr looked at him and sighed. _So much for the quiet approach, I just have to hope that we can get away without any problems._ Carr thought and he was reaching for a Pokéball and released a Forretress that floated towards the bars.

"Annie, Oakly you two get back, a good Rapid Spin and Iron Defense combination will work like a buzzsaw." Carr said before he stopped when they all heard a throat was cleared from behind them. Turing Carr saw a group of figures in cloaks standing there with two Bisharps and a Heatmor in front of them.

"If you want to do that, fine but I have a better way." The leader said as the blond and green haired man both grabbed the bars of their cells.

"Who are you?" Carr demanded as he signaled his men to prepare for battle as his Forretress floated to hover in front of him.

"Another party that wants those two. And are prepared to release the people here that you want if we might take those we want and leave with no trouble from you." The front cloaked figure said as he pointed at the two men as Carr looked at them and gestured for them to try it. The leader gestured for one of his men to move towards the wall and connected a wire from a tablet. After a few seconds the bars on the cells started to move upwards and Carr looked around and turned to them.

"How'd you get the handshake to do that?" Carr asked as the cloaked figure seemed to smirk at him.

"Tracked down the people who installed the security system here and got a copy of the master key. Off course since we opened these doors the rest of the cells will open in about half an hour or less." The leader said as he bowed to the two men as they got out of the cell. "It has been to long master."

"Good job Shadow Leader, good job. I must confess I didn't think I would get my freedom so soon." The green haired man said as the blond man just smirked behind him. Carr looked at the two men, something about the blond haired man bothered him.

"Come commander Ghetsis, you and sir Colorless just need to follow us. I trust we won't have any trouble with yours?" The Shadow Leader asked Carr who nodded at him.

"No. Annie, Oakley and then there's you mister Phantom. If you could come with us please, we'll get you all out of here." Carr said as he the Phantom nodded and Annie and Oakley followed after him, never noticing the Rockets Carr had brought weren't protecting them but had instead taking under their control. As they ran through the prison the sounds of chaos came as inmates were freed and started to riot.

"I'm guessing that neighbors are fighting a bit more than usual?" Carr asked as he led the way towards the roof.

"No more than the usual problems and gangs really." The Phantom said as he looked down from the walkway as one inmate jumped onto the back of another trying to strangle him. "The riot in the mess hall earlier this weak might have add to the pressure through, someone got knifed."

Annie looked down at the prison as the airship flew away; her eyes locked onto the other party as they moved towards the small mountain, explosions here and there marking the route they were taking. _What were they doing here, what were they after? And this is a lot more than I thought the boss would send for the two of us._ She thought as she looked around the cabin and tried to smile at another Rocket member only for the person to glare at her. Suddenly she was grabbed and thrown to the floor and felt cuffs being put on her arms.

"Hey! What the hell is this?!" Oakley demanded farther down. Turning her head Annie saw Oakley being held against a wall as handcuffs were put on her arms as the Phantom looked on with a look of interest.

"This is why we got you out of prison my dear, this isn't a rescue but a capture." Carr said as he floated into view on one of his Forretress as he chuckled. "The boss really wants to know just what you two were planning when you attacked Alto Mare, and he needs to know as soon as possible."

Oakley's eyes went wide with shock before she glared at Carr. _How did they find out about that? Do they know about our heritage?_ Oakley thought as she looked at Annie as

"That's well and good but why did you spring me, not that I'm complaining but last I checked I wasn't one of you all." The Phantom asked as he stood there and watched Carr.

"You were freed because we needed a smokescreen, that and we have a bargain with your niece, we spring you and we get a discount with her services. She said to give you a message, 'while you couldn't get the Crown, we have the Book', whatever that means." Carr said as the Phantom looked at him before grinning. Carr turned to the sisters and smirked, glad his mission was over. _I can't wait to get back to Viridian, once we drop those two off then I can relax._ Carr thought as he walked towards the cockpit. As he walked into the cockpit the pilot turned to look at him.

"Glad you're here commander, the convoy was giving our people trouble last I saw." The pilot reported as Carr just sighed.

"Send up a black flare, we're done here." Carr said as he walked back towards the rear, hoping they would be out of range of anyone who could track them soon.

Ghetsis looked on as the airship flew away and smiled. _I was in there longer then I thought I would be but I'm free and ready to strike again, this time I will succeed, I will rule all of Unova!_ Ghetsis thought as the Noviorn landed before other Shadows who bowed as he and Collorless got off the Pokémon.

"This is perfect, I did think that I was stuck in that place to long. My loyal…!" Ghetsis began as he turned only for a blade to be driven through his body. "Why?" He gasped as blood came out of his mouth as Colorless chuckled.

"Don't be too surprised, after your failure did you think we would let you live?" Colorless said as he watched as the Shadow Leader withdrew the blade and flicked it clean. "The only reason we brought you with us and the Shadow's said as they did inside was for a smokescreen. Thank you so much for all that you did, when I conquer the world I'll be sure to have you be remembered as a grade-A fool."

"We found something interesting in the last region we were in boss, something that might you might like." Shadow Leader said only for Colorless to smirk as he stretched.

"Later my friend, later. For now would someone just take that body and drop it two towns away near a carnivore's den. With luck the authorities won't find it until we're away. I trust the rest of the team is waiting for us?" Colorless asked as he

"Yes sir, however most of those people who followed the false ideas have been trying to take us down, I estimate we lost about thirty percent of what forces we could call on." Shadow Leader said as he lead the way away from Ghetsis, a Shadow picking him up and carrying him away as the others moved off away from the lake as the freighter burned next to the island the prison was on.

The convey leader looked out from behind the destroyed truck as his Tyranitar panted in front of the convoy's Pokémon as the last of the enemy retreated from them, running into the trees as their ship neared the forest. Boss looked around and saw his own people helping each other back to their feet as their Pokémon fought the fires.

"Take stock of what we have, as soon as we have what we can salvage we make for the port, the buildings there and the lake will let us survive until help arrives." The boss said as he looked towards the forest as the ship flew away, a frown on his face. _This whole thing was too much for Team Galactic to have done unless they're a lot stronger than most people think they were. We have to survive until help gets here and tell them what we saw; we just have to hope there are no Chimera around here._ He thought as he looked at the ship as it flew away, snapping a picture of it as it left.

Giovanni sighed as he finished looking over the last few papers and leaned back with a frown on his face. _What is going on, why did they kill that land lord? Who killed him, what is happening in my city?_ He thought as he gazed over the Viridian skyline. Jenny had been meeting with him and Lance when a report had come in about a fire at an apartment complex and then he had requested to talk privately before continuing and Jenny had obliged, paling when they had finished their talk, she then had made up an excuse to leave and that worried him, what was so wrong that she felt she had to do that? As soon as he could he had gotten Lance to leave and contacted his people in the force who had sent him a copy of the report and it had been almost as bad as he feared given Jenny's flight, a search of the complex had found the dead body of the owner, recording equipment for most of the upper floors including a few rooms he had retrofitted into meeting rooms and a damaged apartment with another dead body. "That he was recording everything in his building is a reason for the lower gangs to kill him but the timing doesn't fit, not with the damages everything took from the Chimera attack….but then that could have been used as a smokescreen? And then there's Karen's 'Slayer', Yuji said that the one with him tried to kill him, is there a connection?" Giovanni muttered to himself as he looked into space, his mind creating and discarding scenario's as he tried to make sense of what he had learned.

"This is bad, and to think I was going to have Miranda go there to look it over as a meeting place in case of emergencies. If he put down that Miranda was going there….Jenny might have a few questions for her." Giovanni said as he leaned back. _Of course the fact that a few lower members who don't even know who I am went there to see if he was making it into a brothel. But of course the fact that Team Rocket has members here might be something to change, sending everyone who went here to the Saffron base to prepare for the raid on Slyph Co. that I know is coming to take advantage of the chaos, might work out better that way._

A beeping brought him back to reality and he turned to his computer and opened the file and sighed as he saw who it was from. _Of course those three would send a report today. Just what is it this time, can those ever do anything right? And from Kalos, that place is deader and as unimportant as the Orange Islands._ He thought absently as he opened the file. As his eyes moved over it he stopped and went back over it before as he paled as he read exactly what his agents had sent.

"Well it looks like I was wrong about Kalos being unimportant, if one force like this is there, then there are more. A Bug-Type gang with brainwashed servants and they were being led by a former noble. And that's not even counting the preserve, if half of this is true…." He trailed off and rubbed his eyes and tried to think about what he should do. _Carr's already on mission, Butch and Cassidy are going to Alto Mare, maybe Sham? No I need her to keep a hold on that one, so who… of course I can use him._

"Connect me to Pierce, now Maranda. I have an emergency mission for him." Giovanni said into his intercom.

"Yes sir, also the airport has been reopened and Dr. Z had request departure clearance for his team, something about the next festival will soon start there and it would be a good cover for them." Maranda's voice carried over as Giovanni nodded.

"Approved, also use account zero nine for that and account one ten to get a ticket for the plane to Kalos." Giovanni commanded as he leaned back and looked out the window. _I don't like this, I don't like it one bit. The fact that according to them it happened to a sanctuary that the Rangers backed, I might need to look them, but they've always seemed to be_

"Master, what are you orders?" Pierce's voice came over the phone and Giovanni smiled. _Ahh Pierce, one of my most loyal underlings._

"You are to head to Kalos and contact our operatives in the region for a debriefing on the Preserve they included in their last report and then you are to go there and collect samples of the water and life forms there." Giovanni "After which you are to take the spoils that the operatives have gathered and return them all to headquarters, and don't worry about finding them, you've worked with them in Unova."

"By operatives I take it you're talking about that trio are you sir?" Pierce asked with an exasperated tone as Giovanni chuckled a little.

"They might not be the best of my agents but they are some of the most innovative and they come across some jewels here and there." Giovanni said with a small laugh as he thought about those three. _I still wonder about their long term chase for that child's Pikachu, but their covert ops skills are among the highest in my employment. They come across such interesting things over the years so I've let them do and this proves it once again._ He thought as he looked down at the phone. "This is one of those times. Do you accept the mission I have given you?"

"I accept the mission, send me the all the data and I'll put together a small team to sell the idea I'm a tourist." Pierce said as Giovanni smiled. _Good, with this once we get a sample of that material our own we can compare it to that other source._

"I expect to hear from you as soon as you have the samples." Giovanni said with a hard tone.

"Of course master, I'll have a report for you within the next few days." Pierce said as he closed the connection.

Giovanni smiled as he looked over Viridian, his hand going to his shoulder as he remembered what he had fought so long ago, that _monster_ that wasn't a Chimera. _If this is related to those things then I might have a new avenue of investigation. If those scum are active internationally, I don't know how we could handle them if that's the case._ Giovanni thought before he heard the door to his office open and saw Miranda standing there, a look of alarm on her face as she held a tablet in her hands.

"Miranda what is…." Giovanni began before he was interrupted by her fanatic voice.

"Master Giovanni! It's unheard of! A building in the slums had, at least twenty people were found dead! And there they found a dead Tyrantum in cybernetic armor! The the police contact the Gym for help!" Miranda said as Giovanni stood up, his face going red as he glared at her as his mind worked out what that could mean.

"Miranda get Yuji and Salma, you're all going with me to the site. I assume Jenny called us." He said as he rushed to the door, Miranda following into step behind him as he rushed through the gym's office towards the street. As she walked after him she sent to quick messages to Yuji and Salma and sighed when she saw the reply from bother of them.

"Yes sir, she contacted us and from what I overheard that the hospital and Mr. Lance was also contacted, something about a symbol that he instructed watch for." Miranda said as Giovanni led the way towards the door, Yuji and Salma waiting for them.

"What's going on boss, I still have to pick up my team from the center before to long." Yuji said as Salma just sighed and shook her head before she gained a scowl.

"Yeah and I have to get back to Anny before to long, I don't want to let the kid wake up alone!" Salma said

"What's going on is we're going to the sight of a massacre. At least twenty dead in the slums. According to what I was told most of them were trainers!" Miranda said tartly causing Yuji and Salma to stop and share a look for a few seconds before running after them as moved to catch up.

"If that's true the why are we going with you boss?" Yuji asked as they moved towards a car.

"Yuji, you're coming because you're a tracker, Salma because you can talk to anyone and get them to tell you what you want them to. We need to know everything you can tell about me about this." Giovanni said as they got into the car, Salma and Yuhi in the back with Miranda driving with Giovanni next to her before they drove off to the sight

Jenny looked around the room and sighed. _I so don't need this now; at least that idiot is gone. Still what is it about this that brought Lance here, no matter who he's here as?_ Jenny thought as she looked at Lance as he walked through the carnage and looked at the body tape, trying to figure out what she had no idea as he moved towards the stairs to the upper level. She looked at the dead Tyrantum and frowned, that was something she had no idea what to do with, cleaning up the body would be hard enough, explaining just where it was from would be a nightmare, and the fact the it had eaten someone was going to be trouble. _Of course if it was an ordinary Pokémon but something like this, I don't even…._ She thought as she looked over the room, the outlines of the bodies of the dead trainers were bad enough on their own but the damage from the battle that happened here told you're a conflicting story.

"Quite a mess isn't it?" Giovanni voice caused her to release a relieved sigh and turn to look at him and Miranda who looked around at all the body tape with a sick look that seemed wrong to her for some reason. She shook her head and walked to him, banishing the thoughts that almost made themselves known to her.

"To put it mildly! From what we've been able to tell that thing was killed with a swift strike with a blade of some kind that went through the armor like it wasn't there. And that's not the worst of this debacle." Jenny said as Giovanni looked around the chamber, seeing the stone pillars, the broken holes and turned back to Jenny with an inquisitive look. Jenny merely pointed towards the Tyrantum and Giovanni looked at it before turning back to her.

"What about the Tryantum….wait the armor. Tell me it's not bolted on." Giovanni said as he held his noise as Jenny nodded. _Okay so that was a mercy kill but why. Who are these people too have a Tryantum that they could throw away…wait._ Giovanni thought as he went still as Miranda gasped.

"If that thing had gotten out to the general area of the city, it would have been a blood bath!" Miranda stammered as she looked at the corpse of the Pokémon.

"That's what I thought as soon as I saw it, we don't need this with the attack we have planned to launch tomorrow." Jenny said as she looked around the room, her eyes landing on Lance and frowned, wondering what he knew that he wasn't telling.

Lance looked around the office and frowned. _This doesn't make sense, none of this does. They never treated anything living creature like that, ever. Could I have been right, are they not as united as they seem?_ Lance thought as he looked around the room and picked up a few papers here and there, a frown on his face as he tried to make sense of it.

"What's this, 'Sinnoh stronger then prev…' 'Gambler making moves towards….' What is this?" Lance muttered as he read the papers and tried to understand just what he had found. _I have to get this information back to base, if we can figure out who theses mean we might just have a solid lead on finding out who they are._ He thought as he walked out of the room as he concealed them in his cape. He looked down and saw Giovanni and Miranda talking with Jenny and frowned.

"Maybe I should have told her not to contact anyone." Lance muttered as he looked at Giovanni, all those reports he had seen over the years flashing through his mind. _I know that Giovanni's hiding something, but what I don't know. I do know he's used the gym's office as his 'personal' business, but that's not exactly illegal._ He thought as he walked back the ground floor, Giovanni looking up as Yuji came up to Giovanni.

Giovanni signled him to talk later and turned to Lance. "Ahh Lance there you are. I was just talking to Jenny about this monstrosity."

Lance scowls as he nodded. "Yeah. I can't believe that I've ever seen something like this before. I've already areanged for the local hospital to handle the dissection, with luck we'll soon know where this thing was born and who could have gotten it." Lance went still and turned to Giovanni who looked back at Lance for a few seconds before he realized what Lance didn't say

"Ahhh. The fossil revival process always leaves a mark that tells where it happened, doesn't it?" Giovanni asked as Lance cursed in his head, his only reaction to nod. Giovanni kept his poker face up, a few missions he had planned being scrapped.

"We'll deal with this once we kill those things in the mountain; I trust you're ready for the march?" Lance asked causing Yuji and Giovanni to both nodded.

"Just a few more minor preparations that we should probably go and deal with now. I merely came to make sure that a Chimera hadn't gotten past our defenses" Giovanni said as he turned and started to lead his people away. Lance watched them go, more convinced than anything that Giovanni was hiding something, something important.

As they walked out of the room Salma fell into step behind them and Giovanni waited until they were away from the police before he started to speak. "What did you find?"

"The cops are canvasing the whole area but there's nothing alive here and that ain't normal boss, at all. Even if the town was attacked by Chimera the buildings around here should have at least a few Pokémon." Yuji said as Salma nodded.

"I went and did a circle around the block boss, somebody attacked two buildings and the only other place that showed somebody had been there were in an X shape with that thing in the center." Salma said as they watched a large truck move past them. "The cops found two people in the destroyed rooms both unconscious. They're being brought to the hospital under guard, I get that someone's going to talk to them once they wake up."

Miranda shot a look at Giovanni who nodded his head and sighed. _This proves it; Karen has to be one of them. I know I didn't ask her too much about what their after in her city but I might have to._ _One thing for sure our next date will be very interesting, of course it's to see a play but needs must._ Giovanni though as he and his group walked towards their car.

Miranda looked down at her tablet as it dinged and smiled as she read the message and nodded. "Sir, I just received messages from those three groups you were worried about. They picked up the people they needed to, that doctor friend of yours is on his way and your assistant has departed on vacation safely."

"Problems with your other job boss?" Yuji asked as they reached the car. Giovanni merely smiled.

"Just a few minor points, Miranda drop Yuji off at the Pokémon Center would you?" Giovanni said as they left the area.

 **Aura Artifact; Shield Bracelets** : Aura Artifact that form energy shields from users own Aura


	21. Chapter 21

I am so Sorry! My muse died out for about a month and then this just wouldn't write and then….. I'm sorry I had to wework and add to chapter one for my muse to come back and here it is, a few hours before Turkey Day for everyone in America and well here it is. I promise I will try to have another chapter out before New Years and chapters for my other works. Enjoy Thanksgiven and Gobble gobble everyone.

Nicolas looked around as he walked through the base, the expedition was going to be sent out tomorrow and he was one of the people involved. "I mean I don't know what we'll find out there and me, one of the leaders? He said I did great on the hunt, I brought down a lot of hawks and boars and found that place with the big guy, but really?" He muttered as he walked through the halls, a sigh escaping his lips as he saw the damaged to the corridors. _And then there was the fact that the hurricane came right up to our door. I mean this has to have an effect on those things._ He thought as he moved through the hallway, only to scowl as he exited the mountain and saw the party as they moved about, Squires moving about as the various Knights and Ladies of the expedition prepared themselves.

"I still think this is nuts, I mean me in charge of a squadron?" He muttered as he looked about, never hearing someone come up behind him until a soft chuckle caused him to turn and see Sylvestre standing there with a smile on his face. "Sir Sylvestre, I didn't hear you sir. Are you here to take over, I would gladly stand down and let you….."

Sylvestre put his hand on Nicolas's shoulder and shook his head. "Nicolas you were chosen for a few reasons, the most important is that you've proven yourself. Trust in your skills young Knight, and they won't let you down."

"But still, a force this size will draw notice, if the League finds out about us sir…." Nicolas trailed off as Sylvestre looked at him and raised an eyebrow. "Not that I would ever second guessing our Queen my lord; I'm just worried this might bring down on us, I'm sure the queen considered everything but I'm still worried."

"Don't worry too much Nicolas, we'll handle whatever comes at us! No mater what happens or what they do, the unenlightened won't break us!" Sylvestre laughed and rubbed Nicolas's head and smirked when he saw him scowl in return. _The kid's a good one, glad he joined me and not any of the others. Still the boy's right, if they notice us then it will be trouble, but she looked and this is the best time for the party to go out, any longer and they might attack and overwhelm us._ Sylvestre thought as he looked at Nicholas and frowned. "You do understand the purpose behind this, don't you?"

Nicolas nodded and looked at Sylvestre with a blank grin. "Yeah, if all that we reasoned is right, those things have a 'main mind' that's controlling them. The range might be a problem but if we can even find where those things are laired and kill it, we could stop them in their tracks."

Sylvestre nodded as and looked towards the forest and frowned when he saw something glittering among the trees. "Those things are getting stronger, personally I'm worried that whatever is behind them might attack us while you're all gone."

"And given that it was luck we were out there and came back to the attack and were able to identify the command element…." Nicolas said as Sylvestre nodded.

"Constance said the same thing, I sent Dante out a few nights ago and he's found a place a few miles away to setup a secondary tunnel, it's behind a waterfall, we're be able to slip out and attack anything that tries to take us from behind." Sylvestre said with a smirk.

"So then their reactivating the Diggers?" Nicolas asked as they walked towards the party who looked at them as they passed.

"Of course, but besides the handlers a few Templars will be along for added security. And Dante found a few beautiful flower blooms for his lady…." Sylvestre trailed off when he turned and saw that Nicolas hadn't moved and was holding his head causing Sylvestre to look at him with worry. "You alright good knight?"

Nicolas shook his head as a figure of a laughing girl with blue hair in a ponytail in a blue dress laughing passed through his head, disappearing after a few seconds. "Nothing lord, just a head ache." Nicolas said as he forced a smile onto his face. _Who was that, why did I just see someone I don't know, why do I feel love for her?_ He thought as he reached his Lupin Charger and started to feed some of his Aura into the power gem.

"Don't worry boss, I'll be along to keep the kid out of trouble!" The voice caused the two of them to turn and see Dante riding a Lupin Charger towards them with a smirk on his face.

"I thought you'd be tagged for additional security brother?" Sylvestre said as Dante shrugged.

"Funny thing that, the Templars came in and said they would be handling all the security, something passed between them but they didn't say anything, and that was after we found this strange rainbow crystal in this cavern we broke into." Dante said, causing Nicholas to wince, Dante frowning as he saw what hit Nicholas. "Sure you're alright kid, a strong man knows his limits.

"I'm fine sir Dante, just a head ache." Nicholas said as his Teddiursa looked up at its trainer with worry in its eyes.

A man in a grey tabard and black pants with short black hair stood by a Lupin Charger with a black hound dog like Pokémon with a wearing a skull on its head shook his head as he watched Nicolas, Dante and Sylvestre talking, a faint scowl visible on his face. _Why does that stupid idiot Jacquelin_ _think this is necessary, jokes on that bastard for once I finger the other scum he sent with us._ He thought as he looked at a man in a grey tabard and black pants with a bushy red beard and mustache with short red hair sat on his own Lupin Charger next to a Lion like Pokémon with a predominantly red mane with gold streaks and dark brown fur on its body with light brown fur on its legs.

"Victor, keep looking at those two and we're going to give the game away." The red haired man said as Victor looked at him with a scowl on his face.

"Bryni you old bastard keep quiet about that! remember we're only to do that if we find a way to when all this is done!" Victor hissed quietly as he looked around at the knights, Pokémon and golems.

"Don't be too worried, all we have to do is stay back and keep our partners ready to blast 'em." Bryni said with a chuckle as Victor looked at him with a hidden note of disgust in his eyes. _Why did I have to be paired with the burn 'em and burn 'em again! I can't wait until I can find a way to kill this one, but it will be difficult with those four along._ He thought as he looked at four of the Templars who stood by Lupin Chargers as they prepared

"Warriors of Team Gaia, heck to me and hear the words of your Queen!" A voice from the mountain caused everyone to turn towards the Vice Chancellor as he stood there, an honor guard of two Templars standing by his side, he was holding a scroll he had opened and read from it. "You, the brave warriors of Team Gaia have been chosen to deal with those who attacked us so brazenly! May the blessings of Gaia and the strength of our enlightenment see you through this trial and your return to us! In the Queen's name, the crusade begins!"

A roar met this speech and as one the warriors of Team Gaia mounted their Lupin Chargers, the Knight Stalkers and Shield Shooters moved before them, charging at their maximum speed towards the forest farther north. Nicholas rode his golem at the front left of the army, he felt pride as he looked behind him, Dante was with him farther left and the others were spread out to his right him and behind, with the Templar as the fist at the center.

"You ready for this kid?" Dante asked as Nicholas laughed and turned to look at Dante and stopped when he saw a small stream with a boulder with a table set against it and suddenly he saw people….

" _Come one Nicky!" A voice called out as a girl around ten years old a brown dress with blue hair pulled a boy with blond hair as two kids their age followed behind them, a girl with green hair and a boy with short blue hair with a girl with blond hair followed them, all of them were in overalls and shirts the color of their hair. They ran past the table and the boulder and were running parallel to the river, the girl at the front had a wild smile on her face as the blond boy tried to pull his arm free._

" _Kimi, don't pull my brother so hard you tear off his arm, that's my job!" The blond girl called out as Nicky looked over his shoulder._

" _Oh funny Holly, very funny! Now could you slow down Kimi and tell us what's the problem!?" Nicky called out as Kimi just laughed a little._

" _No way! Come on, I found a pod of Polys with eggs and I think their gonna hatch soon! Their nest is right infront of that waterfall we found last year, so we can look over them from that ledge!" Kimi said before suddenly Nicky was pulling her along as the other increased their speed. "So now you guys want to go there?!"_

" _Keep up Fallsbloom, seing Pokemon hatch in the wild, that's not something you want to miss!" The green haired boy called over his shoulder as he passed her, a wide grin on his face. Kimi grew red in anger and exploded before running after them faster._

" _I KNOW HEARTTREE, I KNOW! That's why I went and got you all!" Kimi screamed as they rushed towards a small looking hill ahead of them._

"You okay kid?" Dante asked as Nicholas shook his head. Dante frowned and looked around and tried to find anything out of the ordinary that could have set Nicholas off. _What's wrong with the kid, I mean we all get bad days but really, what's wrong with him?_ Dantethought as he looked at Nicholas who smiled weakly back at him.

"Yeah I'm fine big guy, so the way into the complex is behind a waterfall over there?" Nicholas asked as he looked the other way. _What the heck is wrong with me, what was that….Later, for now I'll deal with what I have to now first and then that later, stay focused on this and stay alive._ He thought as the Dante looked at the boulder and back at him.

"Yeah, but you sure, there's nothing wrong in knowing your limits you know." Dante said as Nicholas nodded at him.

"Yeah, I'm fine really crusade moved into the forest, the riders spreading out as they waited for the Treemen to attack them with the golems leading the way. Dante frowned when one of the Knight Stalkers crushed a fallen tree and he saw a nest in the remains. Looking about he saw the signs of combat and broken trees ahead of the golems and started to curse.

"Dante?" Nicholas asked as he readied his weapon as his Teddiursa started to look around.

"The ground, those things were here and they weren't just after us! They must have been hunting when they found the base! And then they realized they needed a strong force….this means they can plan or something else." Dante said as he looked around at the woodland and cursed as he saw the results of battle all around him.

"All golems, defensive actions!" Nicholas barked as he looked around and swore when he saw what Dante had and felt fear as he tried to understand just what they were hunting. _Why did they hunt them, for food? But why did they attack the base so hard if they can hunt wildlife…I mean what exactly are we hunting?_ He thought as he turned to Dante who had an angry look on his face. "What kind of creatures are we hunting?"

"Don't know kid, these things aren't following any pattern I can find. I mean they're not Golems or Pokémon, they come back to life if we kill them and they hunt for food or….resources? What are we hunting, some kind of organic golems?" Dante said as he tried to figure this out.

"But if the crystals are their 'fuel source' why would they need to hunt for food?" Nicholas asked as Dante nodded at him, bothered by that.

"Movement ahead! Prepare to recive attackers Knights!" One of the Templars roared out, causing the others to look forward and see Treemen shambling out of the forest towards them, their organic weapons ready to take blood. As Nicholas looked at the attackers he drew his weapon and prepared to set aside his doubts and let combat calm his mind.

The group of friends entered Luminous City and looked around as they moved towards the Pokémon Center. Clemont and Bonnie paid little attention to their surroundings and Serena gave a sigh as she looked around with a note of awe in her voice.

"The few times I was here, I don't usually have much time to look around, but this city must be the center of the fashion universe in Kalos. All the people are so well dressed. And Prism Tower is just incredible." Serena said as she looked around with awe on her face.

"You said it, and look at the restaurants, some of the best franchises have places set up here, and a few of them have waiting lists that are at least a month for the really fancy ones." Lilith said as she looked at the lines for a few restaurants.

"Yeah, I didn't pay much attention before but I can see what you mean. I've seen a few cities like this before but it's just amazing, there's more activity here then I usually see outside of a League's Conference!" Ash said as he looked around and checked his Pokédex for available quests and saw at least ten posted and claimed every few seconds. Bonnie looked at Clemont and both smiled as they looked at their friends but Bonnie could see the worry if he told them just who he was.

"Yeah, I guess it's okay. But if you guys think it's something now, wait until you see it during an event like the Pokémon League!" Bonnie said as she looked around as she put her hands on her hips and smiled.

"Maybe Bonnie but the Prism Tower is just incredible no matter when it is!" Serena said causing everyone to look at the Prism Tower, Lilith noticing that Bonnie and Clemont shared a quick glance.

"And the Lumiose Gym is inside that tower!" Ash said as he looked at the Prism Tower and

"Oh, so you've already challenged gym Ash?" Serena asked as Ash just rubbed the back of his head.

"Well, I showed up there and tried to but they threw me out, I didn't have the four badges that they said I needed to challenge it." Ash said as Serena frowned.

"Pika." Pikachu cooed as he looked up at the humans as

Serena looked at the tower as she frowned and a fire entered her eyes. _What right did they have to do that to Ash_ She thought. "I had no idea there were Gyms where you need four badges just to be able to challenge them!" She said as Clemont rubbed his cheek.

"Some gyms are like that Serena; I remember hearing about a tournament that only allowed Flying types to be used." Lilith said as Bonnie released a sigh.

"Well, since that's the way it is here, why don't we get out of Lumiose City?" Clemont said causing the others to look at him and his sister.

"But I've been looking forward to exploring Lumiose City!" Serena said as she looked at him.

"Yeah and my contest is somewhere here, remember?" Lilith asked as Clemont looked at her and paled as he remembered.

Clemont looked at her and bit his lips, causing Ash and Lilith to frown as clues they had been given suddenly took on a more worrisome note before they heard someone from the street.

"Well, if it isn't my Clemont and Bonnie." A voice said causing Clemont and Bonnie to jolt and turn towards the road.

"Dad!"/ "Ampharos!" Clemont and Bonnie said as everyone looked at a man with a brown beard in blue overalls over a black shirt with helmet on as he sat on a motorcycle with an Ampharos wearing a helmet siting behind him. He smiled as he looked at the teen

"Huh, Dad?" Ash asked as he looked at the man on the cycle. _So by his reaction he and Bonnie weren't running, then it's probably a mistake he made that he doesn't know how to fix._ Ash thought as he looked at Clemont.

"Uh, let me introduce you." Clemont began before Bonnie finished.

"I want you to meet our daddy!" Bonnie said as the man smiled at them.

"I'm Meyer! I run an electronics shop in this city along with Ampharos here." Meyer said as he introduced his Pokémon.

"AMP!" Ampharos greeted them as it smiled at them.

"You and Ampharos Cool!" Ash said as he looked at Ampharos as it and Meyer got off their bike, wondered how it would do in a battle if it helped out in an electric store regularly, wondering what tricks it might have up its sleeves.

"Pika, Pika!" Pikachu said as he looked up the taller Pokémon, wondering the same thing.

"An electric shop owner with a fully evolved Electric type, I couldn't see that coming." Lilith said with a smirk as she looked at Meyer.

"And these guys here, they're our brand new, super nice, good friends!" Bonnie said as she stepped in front of Lilith, Serena, Ash and Pikachu as she spread her arms wide.

"Your friends? I'm so... I'm so overcome with happiness, I can't tell you! Thank you so much!" Meyer's said as broke down and hugged his children to him. _Getting new friends is just what Bonnie needed and Clemont could do with not inventing every hour of the day!_ Meyer's thought as he cried.

"Oh, Pikachu! Nice looking electric cheeks!" Meyer's said as he stractched Pikachu's chin.

"This is Serena, an old friend of Ash's." Bonnie said as Serena bowed to him and he nodded back before turning to Lilith.

"And who's this young lady?" He asked as he looked at her

"Lilly Nightbloom, a pleasure to meet Bonnie's and Clemont's father." She said as she curtsied to him, causing him to smile.

"So Clemont's finally found himself a beautiful girlfriend. Gotta keep on eye on you, huh?" He said as he elbowed his son causing Lilith and Clemont to blush.

"Dad, its not like that!" Clemont said before the sounds of a Pokéball being released caused Meyers to turn to Bonnie and saw her standing there with Flabébé in her hands and Dedenne poking his head out of her bag

"Dad, I passed the exam to become a Jr. Trainer and these are my Pokemon Flabébé and Dedenne." Bonnie said as she looked at her father as he looked at them and smiled.

"So you're an Electric type as well! And a Fairy just as beautiful as my baby hu?" He said as he looked at Bonnie and patted her head. "Bonnie I'm so proud of you for passing that test, most people wait until their older to even think of becoming a trainer!"

"And Clemont." Meyer began as he turned to his son. "Now you listen to me, son. You should come to the house once in a while!"

"But Dad, you see." Clemont trailed off as he looked at his father as Bonnie started to sweat.

"Is there some reason you haven't come around?" Meyer asked as he looked down at Clemont.

"Well, Daddy, we've got things to do, so bye for now!" Bonnie said as she grabbed her brother and pulled him towards their friends.

"Wait, Clemont! I've told you this before... It's true you need to be tough on challengers, but that alone isn't going to help them become better trainers." Meyer said as he looked at Clemont. "You need to be a gym leader the Lumiose Gym can be proud of!"

"Lumiose Gym?" Ash asked as he and Serena turned their heads to each other.

"Gym Leader?" Serena asked back as Lilith chuckled lightly.

"Told you so Ash." Lilth said as she smirked as Clemont and Bonnie

"See you soon." Meyers said as he walked back towards his bike.

"Yes sir!" Clemont and Bonnie said as they saluted him as he got back onto his bike as his Pokémon did the same

"Ash, Serena, Lilith, please take care of my kids for me. And don't forget, come visit my shop later!" Meyer's called out as he drove off, leaving them alone.

"All right, what's this all about?" Ash asked as he, Serena and Lilith looked at Clemont and Bonnie who both looked ashamed.

As Clemont tried to figure out what to say Lilith put a hand on his shoulder and smiled at him. "Hey, we're your friends, if you need help I'm sure I'm speaking for the others in that we can help you."

Clemont looked at her and was about to say something when a someone called out to them.

"BOSS! What the heck happened to the gym, why's it locked down?" A feminine voice caused them all to turn and saw a girl with short brunet their age coming towards them. She was wearing a white vest over

"Let's get off the street, I'll tell you all everything." Clemont said as he sighed and looked around and at the people around them, noticing some people watching them in confusion. The vest wearing teen looked and chuckled lightly and blushed as

"Was that Bon-bon?" A child in a black robe asked another.

"Yeah, let's call Josh, I'm sure he'd want to know she back in town." His friend said before both chuckled darkly.

"First let me introduce my god-sister Tara, also she's my second in command at the Gym." Clemont said as he sat down at a fountain a few meters away from the street, Tara and Bonnie standing next to him.

"The truth is that I really am the gym leader of the Lumiose Gym." Clemont said as

"Why didn't you just tell us?

"The thing is, I really was planning to tell you eventually. I'm sorry it's a long story." Clemont said as he closed his eyes. "For the last few months I've been so busy with my duties as Gym Leader that I haven't had time to invent, research or spend time with Bonnie."

"And I'm usually there to help, but I just got back from my cousins wedding in Alola, then I stayed to help rework the telescope on Mauna Kea, then that hurricane hit and only emergency supplies could be sent in for two months and the trainers graduated and went on their own journeys or moved away." Tara said as she wrung her hands.

"It wasn't your fault; you did everything right and you were the maid of honor for A sake!" Clemont said as Bonnie nodded as Tara smiled.

"Thanks bro." Tara said as she punched Clemont's shoulder and he smiled. "So you finally made that didn't you? I'm getting a picture about what happened."

"My thesis that got me a scholarship was on Artificial Intelligence development, for the last few years I've being designing this Trainer Robot and AI so I decided to make something to stand in to give me more time for my personal desires." Clemont said as Tara just shook her head as Ash started to look concerned.

"Let me guess, when you activated it you put in a password by accident that you didn't know what it is, and it drove you out right?"

"And it didn't help that I tied it to the security system for when Tara came back so we'd have a quite notification." Clemont said as Tara nodded at him.

"Getting one around Dariss, great idea. I mean I can understand how this happened but man

"Darris?" Lilith asked as she detected the _hatred_ Tara's voice had when she mentioned him.

"The person who was considered the runner up to be the next Gym Leader, see the pervious leader left to take care of his grandson after his son died so he had a tournament to find his replacement." Tara said. "And while Darris is strong he's…. _scum_."

"One of the worst people in town really, and a lot of people thought that if he'd become the leader the town would suffer, so Tara, Clemont and a few of our friends went in specifically to block him, at the end it was him or my brother and well my brother won!" Bonnie said with a smile.

"And while I don't mind being the Gym Leader, I went into the tournament hoping to just block him and because of city ordinances I'm stuck as it for another year or two." Clemont said as he sighed. "Tara wants to be the gym Leader so I brought her in as my second and we had a great system for the last two years before….well this happened."

Lilith reached over and squeezed Clemont's shoulder as Ash shook his head and looked at Primsion Tower. "This robot, does it have another way to reset it?"

"No, I have to beat it in battle then give the password, but getting in, that's the main trouble." Clemont said as he hung his head. "The first thing I did was make that place the most secure shelter in the area, there's hundreds of ways to set off the alarms!"

"And you know everyone, don't you?" Serena asked causing everyone to look at Clemont as he gained a shocked look on his face. He took off his backpack and activated his computer, calling up data. _We can use that to get in, but for it to open we'll need to but that would._ He thought as his eyes went from everyone around him to the screen and back again before taking a deep breath.

"There's a way in, but to do it I need everyone's help." Clemont said. "And by everyone I'm counting Bonnie in too."

"No pain no gain bro." Tara said with a smirk

"I'm in, what do you need?" Ash said as Pikachu jumped onto his shoulder.

"Do you even have to ask?"

"Of course!" Serena said as she grinned.

"What do you need?" Lilith asked as she looked at him.

"Thanks everyone, it's a complicated plan and for this to work everyone has to do the plan down to the last detail." Clemont said as he looked around.

Tara looked at Prisom Tower and threw out two Pokéballs that released a tiny white, rodent-like Pokémon resembling a flying squirrel with black eyes, a tiny nose, and yellow cheek patches and a minuscular yellow furred tick like Pokémon. As she looked up she remembered what Clemont had said before she had left.

" _There's and emergency exit in the sewers, it's normally mag locked when the power is off it'll be easier to open. So to get it in opened we need to turn off the power that's where you and your team comes in Tara, Joltik hasn't evolved yet, right?" Clemont asked as he looked at Tara as she nodded._

" _No, I caught two new Pokémon at Alola and I've been training them, she has a new move though." Tara said with a smirk. Clemont nodded and looked at his screen before looking up at her._

" _Good. The power transmitter on the roof is where the solar energy is collected and fed back into the town grid, Emolga needs to carry Joltik to the roof; once they're there they need to destroy first the junction box that's connected to the power-line then the junction box connecting the solar panels to the same transformer." Clemont said as he looked at her. "But once that's done Clemonbot might unleash some of the Magnemite and Magneton, they'll track your Pokémon so you'll need to defend yourself."_

" _Well that's not too bad, there were what, at most five or six of them there before right?" Tara asked as Clemont and Bonnie shared a look. "Wait, the old man evolved all of them into Magnetons, where'd the Magnemite come from?"_

" _The Magneton had babies, they had at least six eggs each, at least two of them had as many as ten. And we've kinda made them part of the defenses." Bonnie said as she tapped her pointer fingers together. "My idea, it seemed like a good idea at the time really"_

" _So we have to deal with as many as sixty-four Magnemites and_ _Magnemite, okay I think we can handle that." Ash said causing Serena to look at him._

Tara shook her head and looked at the Tower before turning to her two Pokémon. "Listen I need you to go up there and shock the junction boxes connecting to the power line and the solar panels, Emogla do the solar ones after Joltik does the box connecting to the . Once you're both done your done get back down here fast, you'll probably have Pokémon after you."

Emolga and Joltik cued to their trainer as Joltik got onto Emolga before Emolga climeb a nearby power pole and Tara looked around and tried to find a place to hold off the attackers she knew would come at her. As soon as they reached the roof top Joltik jumped off Emolga and crawled to the junction box that led off the roof as Emolga went to the box connected to the solar panels and waited until Joltik fried the box it was on before sending a blast of electicity into its box. As the dim of the transformer died Emolga rushed to Joltik as a panel dropped away and a mixed group of Magnetons and Magnemites came out of it, fifteen in total.

Joltik jumped onto Emolga as it passed and Emolga jumped of the building and glided downward as the Magnetons and Magnemites followed it, firing blasts of electricity as Emogla dodged. Tara looked up and drew her weapon, a tonfa with a yellow stone on the part facing away from her and looked up at the swarm. "Electabuzz, Electrike lets battle!" Tara said as she threw her last two Pokéballs. As a yellow biped with two antennae with bulbous tips where its ears should be, two long tufts of fur on top of its head, small eyes, and two large fangs in its upper jaw a large lightning bolt-shaped stripe on its chest and a black V on its head and marks on its arms and legs. Next to it was a small green quadruped Pokémon with a large head crest with angular, lightning-like markings on the side of its head.

"I really hope I bought you enough of an opening guys. Electabuzz, use Focus Blast, Electrike use Bite! Emolga, get over here, Joltik fire Electro-Web at the largest grouping!" Tara command as she readied herself for the battle.

In the sewers bellow Ash, Clemont and the others rushed down the tunnel, Ash looking at the tunnel in confusion. "This is too dry,"

"This is only used when theres heavy rain, it leads into the purification planet at the far end and a grate before the plant to let people who fall in not drown." Clemont said as he looked around with a smile. "The upgrade…it was the last project mom did, she was a safety engineer."

Ash stayed silent and looked at the tunnel and nodded. _That explains a few things, this is the perfect escape passage if they need to leave the gym in an emergency, and since his mom made this he could check on this place whenever he wanted to, smart._ Ash thought as Clemont led the way, and after a few minutes they all stood before a section of the tunnel with a light set against the wall not in the middle like the rest of the tunnel. Clemont looked at the wall on the opposite side and nodded when it died. "That's it, right across from the lights!"

"Got it, Pikachu Iron Tail!" Ash commanded as Lilith threw out a Pokeball and released her Nidorina.

"We'll help, Nidorina Double Kick where Pikachu hits!" Lilith called out as her Nidorina appeared, it watched Pikachu hit the wall with a steel grey colored tail and dodged back as Nidorina jumped at the wall kicking it in the same spot. With a crash a dust cloud appeared that drifted away swiftly, revealing a hole opening into a darkened corridor and Clemont led the way in. Ash shared a look with Serena as they stood outside, remembering what the next part of the plan was.

" _Confidence is good and all but that's a lot of Pokemon to deal with, how will we handle them all?" Lilith asked as she looked at Ash who walked around to look at the screen Clemont was manipulating. "If we get bogged down then they_ _ **WILL**_ _overwhelm us, no two ways around it."_

" _Clemont, do you have a copy of the tower's blue print….thanks." Ash said as Clemont brought it up and Ash looked it over, his eyes mapping the route they would need to take. "Yeah, the corridors inside are small enough to let us bottle neck them in places, once we get there, but no matter what Clemont has to make it to Clembot."_

" _So we three hold the line until Clemont gets back in control. Wait could you order the Magnemite to let us pass?" Lilith asked only for Clemont to shake his head._

" _The Magnemites and Magnetons are there to defend the gym, they follow who's in charge and right now that's Clembot." Clemont said with an embarrassed tone._

Ash and Serena shared a look with each other before they followed the others, Serena pulling out her weapon with its blade capped and Ash holding his sword with its scabbard still on, both ready for what might happen next. As the group entered the lower level of the Gym they never saw six eyes looking from the darkness of the sewers and hear a chitterling drone before the eyes disappeared in the darkness of the tunnel.

Clemont led the way throught the gyms corridors, looking everywhere as they moved swiftly towards their goal. _We just have to go a few more yards and we're at the battlefield. So let's just hope we don't!_ His thoughts died when he heard a monotone drone ahead.

"Magnemite!" A voice droned caused them to look ahead and he saw three Magnemites hovering with their backs to them. Clemont went still and paled when he one of the Magnemite rotate until it locked its eyes with his.

"Magnemite! Magnemite! Magnemite!" it bellowed as the others turned and their magnets started to spark.

"Go on, I've got this! Froakie, I choose you!" Ash cried as he threw a Pokéball and released his Froakie. As it stood there Ash looked at the three Magnemites and decided how to handle them. "Use your Frubbles to stop them from attacking!"

Froakie jumped and put its hands on its frubbles and threw three balls at the Magnemites and mucked them up as they dropped to the ground. _I hope they haven't learned Flash yet!_ Clemont thought as he looked at the three Magnemites band before they suddenly they released a flash of light causing him to pale in freight.

"Move, they signaled the others!" Clemont cried as he ran past the Magnemites towards the battlefield. _Just a few more feet!_ Clemont thought as he ran, leading the way through two more intersections and final he saw a doorway and when he tried to open it he saw it was locked. He tipped away at the keyboard next to the door and after a few failed attempts he put his backpack down and connected a wire from it the keyboard and started to type in. "Clembot changed the passwords, I'll need a few moments to hack the doors!" Clemont called as the others released their Pokemon and looked towards the last intersection as a mixed group of ten Magnemites and Magntons came charging towards them.

"We'll buy you time, Pikachu Iron Tail Froakie use your Frubbles! Ash said as Pikachu shot at one of the Magntons and Froakie fired its Frubbles at the Steel Electic tpyes and sent some of them to the ground while Pikachu batted a Magnton into a few of the Magnemites.

"Help out Fennekin, use Protect and defend Clemont!" Serene called prompting Fennekin to form a Protect between Clemont, her trainer and Bonnie with Lilith and Ash outside it.

"Nidorina use Blizzard and keep them back!" Lilith called out, Nidorina cried and a snow storm suddenly formed and froze the Magnemites and Magntons, sending more of them to the ground as Pikachu and Froakie dropped back to stand next to Nidorina.

Clemont typed as fast as he could and after a few seconds got the door open and shot a look over his shoulder at the others and Ash pushed him and Bonnie throught the door before he could say anything.

"Go, we've got this!" Lilith said as more of the Magnemites and Magntons appeared at the end of the corridor.

"Welcome to the Lumiose Gym." A robotic voice said causing Clemont to turn to it as the lights came on revealing a blue humanoid robot with a head that looked like it was wearing a helmet with a yellow thunderbolt on the front with a Pikachu tail on the back and a dent on its right side, it had two small spheres for shoulders connecting to skinny arms ending in hands and two legs connected to its body by large yellow screw heads.

"Now, Clembot, activate master recognition battle mode!" Clemont demanded as Clembot looked at him.

"First, voice code will be needed for recognition activation." Clembot intoned.

"There must be some way you can remember!" Clemont said as he thought back to how he activated Clembot and went still as he realized what the code had to be. "The voice code is "you can start today, I'm Clemont, the gym leader!"

"Code recognized. Master recognition battle mode activated" Clembot said as it reached for a Pokéball

"All right, way to go, Clemont!" Bonnie cried as Dedenne peaked out of Bonnie's bag as Bonnie ran towards the stands and stopped near Clemont.

"Dedenne!" Dedenne cried out in joy.

"Okay, Bunnelby, let's go!" Clemont said as he threw out a Pokeball and released Bunnelby.

"Bunnelby!" it cried as it stood proudly ready for battle.

"I will use this Pokémon!" Clembot said as it looked at Clemont, raised it's right arm and its hand retracted before a gun came out and shot out a Pokéball from which came out a Heliolisk, a bipedal Pokémon that resembles a yellow lizard. Its head is mostly black with a yellow lower jaw and around its neck is a black frill with orange spikes around the rim. This frill can be raised to frame its head if needed. Its hands and feet are black with three digits each and there is an orange band with triangular markings around each leg. It has a long, tapering tail that is orange and then black at the tip.

"Heliolisk!" it cried as it looked at Bunnelby and readied itself for battle.

"Heliolisk, Thunderbolt!" Clembot intoned, Heliodisk charging at Bunnelby.

"Clembot's starting out using Thunderbolt! And that's just what I programmed it to do..." Clemont said before he did a double take as he realize he had programed how Clembot would fight, he could use that and turn this battle around. "Bunnelby, use your ears to defend!"

"Bunnelby!" It cried as it sent its ears into the floor and used them to send a giaser of dirt into the air intercepting the electricity.

"Bunnelby, Double Slap!" Clemont commanded, promting Bunnelby to shot forward at Heliodisk with its ears glowing.

"Use Dragon Tail!" Clembot called out. Heliolisk shot at Bunnelby with a green glowing tail and spun around, its tail hitting Bunnelby's ears. Bunnelby moved its ears and broke the lock with Heliodisk and moved under it as it started to fall and jumped up and Heliodisk's back, sending towards Clemont and making a duskcloud as it hit the ground.

"Now, Bunnelby, Dig," Clemont commanded and Bunneldy dug into the battlefield and disappeared from sight in a few seconds.

"Use Bulldoze!" Clembot commanded and Heliodisk stomped the ground, causing the ground to act like a wave that forced Bunnelby into the air.

"Hold on, I never taught Heliolisk that move!" Clemont said as he went still and looked at Clembot. _It taught a Pokémon a new move, but how? This is so beyond what I programed it as a battling robot….could 'he'?_ Clemont thought before shaking his head, getting his focus back on the battle.

"Use Dragon Tail!" Clembot commanded before Heliodisk shot forward and jumped, spiining around and hitting Bunnelby with its glowing tail at the apex of the spin, sending Bunnelby to the floor.

"Bunnelby, you okay?" Clemont called and released his breath as Bunnelby got back up, he looked at the battlefield and tried to think of a way out this. _Having Heliolisk use Bulldoze like that was a surprise, but it'll be the same for them dealing with a new move from us!_ He thought as he made a choice "Okay, now it's our turn! Bunnelby, use Double Team!"

"Bunnelby, By, By!" Bunnelby cried as it shot into the air and made copies of itself until Heliodisk as surrounded by Bunnelbies in the air, but it stood there not moving.

"Bunnelby, Mud Shot!" Clemont said with a smirk. Each of the Bunnelbies started to generate the attack when Clembot reacted.

"Parabolic Charge!" Heliodisk raised its frill and started to glow yellow and shot a bolt of electricity with a ball in the center that rose high above until it sent out sparks that hit each Bunnelby and dispelling the fake ones while shocking the real one.

Clemont stared at Heliodisk as it glowed green as it shocked Bunnelby. _Parabolic Charge. It attacks all opponents in the area, while restoring energy at the same time. I was never able to train Heliodisk in that move, how was Clembot able to do it?_ Clemont thought with shock

Heliodisk dropped its frill as the attack died and Bunnelby dropped to the floor.

"Bunnelby?" Clemont questioned before Bunnelby got back up.

"Bunnelby!" Bunnelby said as it looked at Heliodisk.

"Use Thunderbolt!" Clembot commanded.

"Heliolisk!" Heliodisk cried as it sent send a bolt of electricity at Bunnelby.

"Come on, Clemont, you have to win!" Bonnie called out as the bolt raced towards

"Now, Bunnelby! Dig, let's go!" Clemont said as he finally created a strategy that might work.

"By, Bunnelby!" Bunnelby said as it jumped into the air and dove towards the ground ears first spinning as it hit the ground, drilling into the loose dirt.

"Use Bulldoze!" Clembot commanded.

"It's all finished now!" Bonnie wailed as she closed her eyes.

"Don't worry Bonnie, one thing I learned while we traveled was to think outside the box. Now, Bunnelby! Use Double Team while you're still underground!" Clemont said with a smirk, hoping his plan would work. Heliodisk stomped the ground, sending a wave of earth and from the hole Bunnelby made multiple Bunnelby's shot out of it, stunning both Clembot and Heliodisk.

"Now use Dig!" Clemont commanded.

As the Bunnelby's started to spin Clembot's program unfroze and looked at the battle and made a command. "Use Parabolic Charge!

Heliodisk fired off the Parabolic Charge and the sparks destroyed all of the Bunnelbys, shocking Bonnie.

Heliodisk looked around and suddenly it shot into the air in a geyser of dirt.

"Error, error!" Clembot said as it spasmed and smoke came from its head.

Clemont watched smiled, "Let's finish this up. Bunnelby, Mud Shot!"

As Bunnelby flew upwards it fired a Mud Shot at Heliodisk as it fell and to the ground, knocked out.

Clemont ran to his fallen Pokémon with Bunnelby following behind. "Oh Heliolisk, are you okay?"

Heliodisk raised its head and smiled at its trainer.

Clemont released a sigh of relief and looked at his Pokémon, proud of how strong it had gotten. "Thank goodness! But, I'm so sorry this happened."

Clembot walked off and stood before Clemont as Bonnie rushed from the stands to her brother. "I recognize you now, sir. Welcome back to the Lumiose Gym. Currently the defenses are dealing with two separate attackers, orders?"

"Stop all defensive messures and call back all Magnimites and Magntons, unlock all doors and stand down, also prepare to repair emergency exit." Clemont ordered.

"Complying with commands"

Outside the battle field Ash stood behind the Protect with Pikachu, Lilith, Serena and their Pokémon as ten more Magntons moved towards them. "Get ready, Pikachu break down the door, and we'll fallback, we'll….?" Ash began only for a siren to sound causing the Steel types to stop and move backwards, the door behind them unlocking and opening.

"What happened?" Serena asked as Fennekin dropped the Protect as they looked around.

"My Brother won!" Bonnie said as she came out of the doorway behind them, causing Lilith to smile.

Outside Tara had handled ten of the defending Pokemon when Jenny drove up and started to help her.

"Mind telling me why this is happening Tara?" Jenny asked as she

"It's a long story Jenny, Clemont will tell you once we get out of this, we just need to hold on for a bit more….." Tara stopped as a siren sounded and the Magnet types moved away, levitating their fallen as they went. Turning towards the gyms doors, Clemont came out and winced as he saw Officer Jenny and the state of their Pokémon.

"Aaaahhh Jenny. I guess it was too much to hope that you didn't hear about the trouble Tara was having." Clemont said as he looked at her, only to receive a scowl in return.

"There better be a good reason for this Clemont, and how the gym has been acting lately!" She said as Clemont only laughed.

"…..and that's how it happened Officer Jenny, I can only apologies for my actions." Clemont said as he bowed to her.

Jenny just face palmed and looked at him as Ash and the others came out of the Gym.

"Next time you want some more free time, how about you schedule a day off when the Gym is closed for the day or something." Jenny said as she got back on her bike and drove off. As they watched her leave Lilith looked at her Pokégear as it beeped and smiled to herself as she read the message. _So that's what their using to mask her coming here, good. And I need to give a report about the Buzz Lords, something is really rotten in Kalos._ Lilith thought as she looked at the others.

"How about we go to my dad's home and have a nice meal?" Bonnie said as the others nodded their agreement when Lilith spoke up.

"Why don't you guys go ahead, I've got to go talk to someone." Lilith said causing the others to stop and turn to face her. "It seems my cousin Felicity decided to take that vacation she's always talking about and decided to hit Kalos, guess her fame was getting to her more than I thought."

"Why don't you go get your cousin and meet us at Prism Tower Lilly? The kitchen there is perfect for a nice meal." Clemont said as Lilith looked at him as the others waited for her replay.

"Yeah and this bum deserves a little pain based on the trouble that he gave us for activing his bot without an override and us being gone!" Tara said with a laugh as she smirked.

Lilith looked at him and smiled. "I'll ask her and I'll contact you guys if she wants to just have a meal together, see you later!"

As Lilith ran off Bonnie smiled at the group. "Then I'll go get a few things from the store, be back in a bit!" She called as she ran off before Clemont could stop her just shaking his head as he looked after her.

"Some sister you got chief." Tara said as she laughed. "Still it's not like this other dude that tried to challenge the gym and got thrown out before I found you. Saying he's gonna sue us or something as he ran away."

Ash went still and shook his head before he followed after them, chuckling as he did so. _There's no way its him, no way at all. I mean the chances are like._ He thought as he followed after the others, a strange feeling going through him.

Lilith smiled to herself as she walked through the city, after all that excitement at the Gym she would finally have a chance to give a proper report. _And since its Felicity I get to tell her all about what's happened since I came here and everything, I can't wait to tell her about the gangs_

"Hey Li, how's Kalos been?" A voice from her right caused her to turn and see her cousin, Felicity dressed in her traveling cloths, a white shirt that exposed her navel and black pants with knee high boots, on her head were sunglass above her blue eyes and she smiled at Lilith with only a little red lip balm on with red and white streaks in her black hair in. She was standing at a table outside a modest looking dinner with a few people inside and a waitress moving about. Walking over Lilith gave Felicity a hug that was returned with a smile.

"Hey cousin, how's home?" Lilith asked as she sat down, a smile on her lips as she looked at Felicity.

"Your teacher went to a party that went crazy cuzz, really crazy. The trained animals, yeah real animals went mad and the hire servers turned out to be assassins." Felicity said with a laugh as Lilith cursed not being there to help out. "But it was kinda good you weren't there, she said that your favorite stalker made an appearance looking for ya."

Lilith only put her head onto the table and moaned as she cursed in her mind. "What do I need to do to get him to realize that I can't stand him!" She demanded as Felicity only looked at her with and opened her mouth before putting her hands up and winced at the glare Lilith sent her.

"Fine Li, fine. I've heard a bit more about why you're like that with him and…." Felicity began before going silent as the door opened and the waitress Lilith saw popped her head out.

"You alright miss…oh your guest made it, do you want anything else?"

"Just bring out that tea and cookies I told you to get ready and we'll be fine thanks!" Felicity said as the waitress nodded and went back inside.

"So your teacher told me what mission she gave you before I went out….think it's really him?" Felicity asked quietly as she looked at Lilith who nodded and looked around before she reached into a pocket and put a small black gemstone that had a beating ball of white energy in its center and nodded.

"He's just like the boss and with the seals he's got on him, I think so. He's as brave as his father and maybe just as good a fighter as they say the boss was when he was Ash's age. And he has _five aura links!_ " Lilith said as Felicity just stared before she clamped her hands around her mouth to muff the exclamation that burst out of her, Lilith only looked on with a smirk. "I know, I reacted almost as bad as you did."

"Five Aura Links, are you serious?! To have one is something but to have five of them…. I can't even imagine it." Felicity said as Lilith nodded. "I mean, never in the history of our home has a person had five Aura links!

"The Founder, he had more." Lilith said as Felicity stared, remembering the founding of their culture on their current home from her history lessons. _He can't be a hero like the Founder was, if he was then is that prophecy coming true?_ Felicity thought as she started to sweat before Lilith gestured for her to control herself as she heard the door open behind her as the waitress came and pushed a cart with a teapot and a pair of plate and a covered tray.

"Here you two go, some of our Flame Tea and a plate of our Shadowed Pastries, a house specialty…" The waitress said as she lifted the cover off the plate before she trailed off as Lilith looked at her with a gleam in her eyes.

"Shadowed?!" Lilith demanded as she looked at the waitress before looking at the cookies, seeing that they were black and grey fox heads. "Why are these called Shadow Pastries? Please its important." Lilith asked with a hard look on her face Felicity looked on.

"It's because they're in the shape of Zoroark heads miss." The waitress said as she tried to figure out what the teen was asking and why

"Zoroark?" Lilith demanded as she looked from the cookies to the waitress

"Yeah, the Zoroark was considered the Shadow Pokémon during the old war, the way it was able to mask its self in illusions. In fact there was a great battle when a raiding force attacked the city and a training patrol bumped into them.

"Where was the battle?" Lilith asked as she started to grin. _This is what the clue meant, pieces of Kalos's past! But why….wait the Showcase why isn't it…its only for females, is there a connection between that and the war?_ Lilith thought as she looked at the woman who looked back with confusion.

"It was in what used to be the abandoned industrial park, they were going to set up a railway there years ago but then the Chimera attacked the ceremony and then well." The waitress said as Lilith paled as she realized where she would have to go to get her Grand Ribbon. _Bonnie I'm sorry but it looks like you won't see me get that first victory after all._ Lilith thought as she realized she would have to talk to Clemont about the attack that took their mother.

"How many years ago did the attack happen?" Felicity asked as she saw Lilith pale and frowned.

"A good seven years ago Miss, that was one of the only two attacks the city suffered in the last fifty years, and the worse one of them." Lilith breathed easily as she realized that it wasn't the attack she thought it was and smiled as Felicity looked at her.

"Thanks, you might have just saved me." Lilith said as the waitress walked back inside as Felicity turned to her cousin.

"What was that all about, I know you don't fear Chimera cuzz, and saved you, what the hell!" Felicity demanded as Lilith sighed.

"The contest circuit here, you need four Grand Ribbons to complete in the final, they only advertise regular Ribbons, you have to find the Grand Ribbons, that lady gave me the location and the final clue to where my first one is. And two of the people Ash and I are traveling with are an older brother and younger sister, they lost their mother in the second Chimera attack she talked about and then a few years latter some scum started to attack her!" Lilith said as Felicity looked at her before sighing a little.

"Why would anyone attack a little girl?" Felicity asked as she scowled as she

"They were three kids her age, each one was paid a hundred and twenty each to bother her each day for about twenty days, Clemont never said why they did, don't think he ever found out why." Lilith said as Felicity whistled.

"Nice chunk of change, think it might have been a Shadow Quest, but why, what could the kid or her brother?" Felicity asked in shock that anyone would pay that much to bother a child.

"Well I _learned_ that besides being an inventor smart enough to make a battling robot with a learning AI he's also the city's gym leader." Lilith said as Felicity stared in shock before she shook her head and looked at her cousin.

"So then that means there might be two reasons I can see to her being attacked, one someone wanted revenge against her brother or wants to put pressure on the brother to get him to work for them." Felicity began and held a hand up. "But forcing a scientist that smart to work for you by attacking their family is never smart and then there the resources wasted on the attacks, yeah this is as strange as the attack that hit your flyer as it tried to get home?"

Lilith looked up as and stared straight at her cousin who went still when she realized what she had said. "What happened to my Murkrow?"

"It was attacked by Flying Frankenmon, we don't know what they were after, and they were perfect. There was no sign on their bodies that they weren't alive." Felicity said as she handed over a Pokéball as Lilith took it and looked down at the table.

"Could there be a connection to my mission? No I haven't seen anything like that even with that gang kidnapped me…." Lilith trailed off as she slowly looked up at her cousin.

Felicity's face turned red as she stared at her cousin. "When they what?"

Lilith sighed. "Long story short, me and a friend were captured by this Bug gang, they were led by this noble descendent and were trying to recruit Ash. They used an Alchemical powder to try and brainwash me but I broke free and while that happened Ash came and attacked their base."

"Alchemy, here?! That's insane, you need to be Aura active to make Alchemy work…did anyone show the ability during the battle?" Felicity asked only for Lilith to start to shake her head before stopped and started to think.

"I might have seen something, the gang leader fought in armor with spikes that could have channeled a recreated Pin Missile and he fought with two lances so…. But he never used anything like that." Lilith mused as she thought back to the battle with Rex. _Could someone have done something to him, a Psychic could have sealed the knowledge of what he could do…but if they did that what else did they hide?_ Lilith shook her head and looked at her cousin. "Enough about that Felicity, how about you join me. Clemont, that is the brother I told you about offered to have you join us for supper. And this way you can meet Ash and Serena, one of the links."

"I don't know, I was just supposed to deliver you're 'mon then spend a few days wandering around the city….." Felicity said as Lilith looked at her with a smirk.

"Did I mention that Bonnie loved that new video you made, even did the dance semi right." Lilith said causing Felicity to grin.

Bonnie smiled as she walked through the city, her brother had regained control of the gym, his second and Clembot were handling it so she and her brother could keep traveling with her friends, everything was perfect!

"Hey Bon-Bon, long time no see!" Bonnie went still when she heard that and slowly turned her head and felt terror when her eyes caught sight of a boy her age standing nearby. He had short green hair and was wearing a combat robe with a black belt, the symbol of a clenched raised fist over his heart.

"What are you doing here; I thought you three were sent to juvenile hall!" Bonnie said as Dedenne pocked its head up and its checks started to spark. The boy snickered a little and threw a Pokéball up and down as he caught it, Bonnie paling further as she realized he had become a Jr. Trainer. _This is insane, I thought they were going away! And if he's one then all of them are, but how'd they become trainers, I thought they might not be allowed to join the League because of what they did!?_ Bonnie thought as she moved her eyes around, trying to find out anything to help her without letting him know what she was doing.

"Yeah, about that; it seems they lost the paperwork on their end so we were set free. And then it was easy to slip back into the city." He said with a snicker as he caught the Pokéball and looked at Bonnie and started to grin darkly. "What's the matter Bon-Bon, no one to protect you? Tyrogue come one out!" He cried as he threw his Pokeball and released a small pale purple humanoid Pokémon with brown skin on its hips and feet that looked like it was wearing pants and shoes. Its head had three blunt protrusions on top, yellow eyes and circular sections on each side of its head that resemble protective padding. "Don't worry, he's just out so I can have a nice talk with you Bon-Bon." The teen said as he walked over to Bonnie and grabbed her dress; however a sound caused him to look down at her bag.

"I don't need anyone to protect me Josh, Dedenne tackle!" Bonnie cried before Dedenne shot out of the bag and hit the boy's head, forcing him to let go and grab at Dedenne before it shocked him and Dedenne jumped back to Bonnie who grabbed her Pokemon and ran down an alley.

The boy's Tyrogue poked at the boy's body before he got back up and charged after Bonnie, his Pokémon falling into step behind him. As he ran he activated a Local Gear and activated a group talk app. "She's running and she's got a freaking Dedenne with her so we need to take it out first!"

Bonnie ran through the back alley, hoping to find a way back to a main road to get away from the trainer and his Pokémon. _I just got to get back to the main road; once I'm there I can find a way back to the gym or to the nearest police box_! Bonnie thought as Dedenne sticking its head out as Bonnie dashed. Ahead of her she saw a break in the alley, causing a smile to form as she tried to change her speed when she heard something that filled her with dread.

"Mankey let's slaughter her!" A voice ahead of her caused her to dash down a side street as a white monkey like Pokémon came out of the alley, behind it another boy in the same combat robe as Josh as his Tyrogue ran past by him and joined the Mankey, Josh falling into step with the second as they ran after Bonnie.

"He is not going to like this Josh, not one bit!" The second said as his blond ponytail flapped as he ran, Josh gritted his teeth as he tried to ignore him

"I know Ralph but we can't let her get away, he'll be madder if we do!" Josh snarled as Ralph started to chuckle lightly as they ran.

"We're lucky then that Kaleb is ahead of the little brat." Ralph said with a snicker causing Josh to grin darkly.

"Dede Dedenne?" Dedenne asked from her pouch, causing her to look down and smile at him.

"Don't worry, we'll get out of here Dedenne, all we have to do is get to back to an area where the police are and we'll be safe!" Bonnie said in an effort to reassure her Pokémon. Bonnie looked behind her, trying to figure out where she was and why her pursuers had slowed down. _What are they doing, they can't have given up. They had to have gotten in trouble for what they did to me but why are they still after me…wait where's the third one!?_ Bonnie thought as she looked ahead.

"Pancham let's get em!" A voice from the side caused her to dodged down a side street as a small skinny humanoid panda like Pokémon charged as a third boy in the same combat robe as the others with brunette hair came after his Pokémon.

Max smiled as he walked through Lum City, so this was Kalos. _And maybe we'll be lucky enough to make it back to civilization before the League Confrance, that way we can see Ash battle in person again. I know my sister will love to see him, and maybe we can score a few tickets for the ball that their rumored to have before the start._ Max thought as he moved, going along the side of the street to get by a group of teens May's ages, all of them looking like Queen Bee types or from old money, looking around with a pompous look to them. _And to think no matter where you grow up somethings never change, that's one of the few things you hate and love._ Max thought as he looked after them and snickered quietly.

"Get her Mankey, get her!" A voice from the alley he was passing caused him to turn and see a blond girl his age running past, a few seconds later a Mankey, a Pancham and a Tryrouge followed after her with three boys in combat robes following them.

Max just stared for a few seconds, unsure what to do. _On one hand I don't know what that was, but if it was what I thought it was then I'll hate myself if I don't help her. And I don't know where the nearest police box or station is_. Max thought as he looked around the street before turning and looked down the alley for a few seconds before he was off, reaching for his Pokégear and activating a tracking program he had gotten so he and May could find each other.

"Why did Ash have to set such a good example?" Max said as he reached for his partner and his weapon.

Bonnie ran and looked over her shoulder, scowling as she did so. _Why can't they leave me alone, why do they have to attack me?_ She thought as she ran through the back alleys. Looked over her shoulder and tripped over an overturned garbage pail and fell to the ground as she tried to get up her blood went cold as she heard a dark chuckle behind her.

"Time to finally pay you back Bon-Bon." Josh said as he picked up a discarded pipe before raising it to hit her. Bonnie turned and held up her hands as he brought it down at her before it stopped as it gained a blue outline. "What the?"

"Is this what's normal here in Kalos, three people ganging up on a single opponent?" A voice demanded behind them. They all saw Max standing next to a small white biped Pokémon with thin arms and green hair in a bowl cut with two flat, red horns on top of its head: a large one toward the front and a smaller one at the back.

"Stay out of this punk, this isn't your business." Josh said as Max looked at him as the Pokemon next it him horn's glowed red before sending a look at him, causing Max to nodded.

"Normally I would, and my sister would probably give me an earful about jumping in without knowing what's happening, but I really can't leave this alone." Max said as Bonnie climbed to her feet and started to move backwards a little.

Ralph snarled and looked over his shoulder at Bonnie and did a double take. "Hey she's trying to get away while we're looking at this punk!"

"Ralts; Psy-Jump and Carry!" Max suddenly commanded and his Ralts gained a blue outline and jumped straight up, the boy and Bonnie both gaining a glow and following it up! Bonnie looked at the boy as he smiled down at her heart fluttering as the sun reflected off his glasses. Bonnie shook her head and looked at him as they reached the roof tops and smiled at him.

"Thanks about that I don't know what I would have done if I had been alone, I'm Bonnie." She said as she offered a hand that he shook as Dedenne

"Max, and I couldn't let a pretty girl be attacked when I could help." Max said causing Bonnie to fight down a blush before a cry caused them to turn.

Down below Josh snarled as he looked up. _We can't let her get away, no choice have to do plan B!_. He thought as he looked at the three Pokemon before him. "Mankey, Pancham throw Tyrogue up there! After that Mankey you throw Pancham and then get that fire escape down so we can all follow, we'll chase them to the place where the boss taught us that lesson! Kaleb call the boss and tell him we're trying to chase her there and she's got help!"

As the Pokemon leapt to do what he said Kaleb looked at Josh as he got a Pokégear out. "Are you sure, I mean the boss will have our hides!"

As the Pokémon moved to carry out his orders he looked at Kaleb and scowled. "I know but we don't have choice, we can't let her get away without the police knowing about it!"

"TYROGUE!" A bellow from below caused the two kids to move away from the edge as the Tyrogue shot up wards and landed on the roof before charging at Ralts, who dodged to the left and Max looked towards the edge and saw Pancham soar from the ground before he heard a clang. Max dashed to the fire escape and saw Mankey had dropped the ladder connected oto it and the three below were climbing upwards, turning back he saw Tyrouge move back to block them from going beyond it. _Great, their coming after us, I bet their trainers are right behind them!_ Max thought as. Bonnie looked around and noticed that she was to the south of Prisom Tower and she felt hope.

"We gotta move, their coming after us and Ralts need some time to build up a Carry!" Max said as he cursed the fact he didn't have another Pokémon as Ralts dodged a blow from Tyrogue as Pancham shot at it. Bonnie looked down at Dedenne who nodded at her and she smiled as she reached into her bag and threw out a Pokéball as Dedenne jumped out of her bag.

"Then let my team buy the time! Flabébé, Vine Whip on Tyrogue! Dedenne, Nuzzle Panchan!" Bonnie called out as Max looked at her in surprise.

"You're a JR. Trainer, wait why did you run from them?" Max asked as Bonnie reacted to her commands.

"Those three always attacked me together, and their favorite tactic was to hit me from behind. I knew I had to get away and to a safer place." Bonnie said as Dedenne charged and shocked Pancham as Flabébé formed a green vine it used as a whip and hit Tyrogue, forcing it away from Ralts who smiled at them as they got between it and the Fighting types.

"Smart, Ralts drop back and carry us all to the east!" Max barked as Mankey shot upwards from the fire escape moments before they had been psychically carried to the next roof as Josh and the others joined their Pokémon on the roof.

Josh smirked as he saw Max, Bonnie and their Pokémon moving in the direction he wanted them to and for a few seconds he imagined the payday he would have once this job was done. "Come on after them! Tyrogue Focus Blast, keep them from the Tower!"

Tyrogue shot a Focus Blast as Bonnie tried to move to towards the Tower before Max grabbed her and pulled her towards the right, away from Prism Tower and towards the next building's roof, their Pokémon following her. Looking over his shoulder Max saw Josh lead his group after them and reached for his Pokégear and pressed a button, hoping that she would make it to them.

"We gotta get to the ground; once we're there we'll have more options!" Max said as he looked around and saw an empty lot many piles of trash in it and smiled. _Perfect, a lot of things to use as ammo, and if we have to we can try and cause and avalanche._ He thought as he looked towards the ground and looked at Bonnie. "Ralts, there, take us there!"

As they all were carried through the air Bonnie looked over her shoulder and saw the smirk on Josh's face and her blood went cold as she realized they had been led just where he wanted them to go.

"IT'S A TRAP!" She called before a dark energy ball suddenly shot from the junk yard and hit Ralts, causing him to cry out in pain and drop its Psychic and drop them to the last five feet to the ground. As they go back to their feet they saw a Houndoom in the shadow cast by one pile and Max cursed himself for falling for such a _simple_ plan. _Perfect, they fired at us to make me think they wanted us away from the Prism Tower, and then a junk yard was the perfect to get back to ground level and they had something waiting to blast us._ Max thought as Josh and his friends got to the ground and took up positions to keep their targets from getting by them.

As the Houndoom moved away from the shadow cast by the pile of trash it had attacked from four Machamps came out from all around them behind other piles before four teens in black robes like the ones the younger boys were wearing stood there looking at Max and Bonnie before they parted and a figure came that caused Bonnie to stare at in total rage.

"Darris, I should have known you were behind these three!" Bonnie said with a she glared at a teen about Clemont's age; he was wearing a dark overcoat over a black tee-shirt and pants, a medallion of a raised fist on a chain around his neck. His black hair was in a wolf's tail and he had a sneer on his face as he looked at the two children and their Pokémon before looking at Josh and his two bookends.

"Bro, there you are! We were handling her when…." Josh trailed off at the three Jr. trainers paled as Darris stared back at them with a hard look in his eyes and a sneer on his lips before he started speaking.

"What, it took a brat to hold you three back, what have you been training for anyway?" Darris demanded as the kids cowered as Bonnie held the arm of the glasses wearing kid. _He was strong enough to almost beat my brother before, how much stronger is he now? And why are those three with him and those others all wearing the same symbol there has to be a connection!_ Bonnie thought as she looked at the teens. Max's arm moved a little and she looked up at him, he was looking at her over his shoulder and he smiled at her as his Ralts got back to its feet.

"Don't worry, we'll get out of this." He said as Bonnie smiled back as her two Pokémon moved to gather with Ralts in front of their trainers.

"I'm sorry you got involved with this." Bonnie said as Max laughed, an action that caused her to shiver for some reason.

"Hey, I used to travel around Kanto and Hoenn with a friend of mine, he had this bad habit of always getting in things like this, get ready to run when I say so, we have to get to a more populated area." Max said as a few lessons Ash had given him over their journey about handling attacks in cities. As he moved his foot a little Darris turned and froze him with a look.

"Houndoom, use Dark Pulse on the Ralts, then Bite on that bitch's Dedenne, the rest of you stay back!" Darris said as the Machamps stepped backwards as Houndoom opened its mouth and fired at the Psychic type.

"Intercept it!" Max barked causing Ralts to gain a blue outline and a piece of trash was suddenly between the beam but it exploded, sending Ralts backwards and Bonnie caught him as Houndoom charged at Dedenne, its mouth open when suddenly…..!

"Blazikin, Agility Flare Blitz combination, then Close Combat!" A female voice called out. A large ball of fire crashed into the ground before Bonnie, Max and their Pokémon incepting Houndoom and before it could react to the fire it was thrown backwards as something from within the fire struck out with a fist. The fire died down to reveal a powerful looking Blazekin that stared down the Houndoom as the glasses wearing boy looked up and smiled as from the right came a yell.

"HEY! LEAVE MY BROTHER ALONE YOU SCUM!" Bonnie turned to where the shout had come from and saw a girl her brother's age with brown hair with a single fringe at the center with three edges secured by a green kerchief wearing a sleeveless orange tunic with a black collar, white gloves with black fingertips, and white pockets and stripes over black cycle shorts standing at the mouth of a side street. The Blazekin jumped backwards and spun in midair before it landed in front of her as from behind her a powerful looking Venusaur stomped out and stood flanking the Blazekin as the teen stared at Darris.

"May!" Max said with a smile on his face as his Psychic type got back to its feet and

"So he's your brother hu. Well beautiful I'm feeling generous so here's what I'll do; you take your brother and leave the blond and we'll let you go and I won't knock you out and sell you to a brothel." Darris said as May looked at him with disgust as the others Darris had brought started to snicker.

"If only Ash or any of the others had come with me." Bonnie said under her breath as she looked at Darris as he looked at May with a leer. Max heard her and went still and reached for his Pokegear.

"Ash, you mean Ash _Ketchum?_ You're traveling with him, he's in the city?" Max whispered to Bonnie as May looked at Darris.

"Yeah he is, why do you know him?" Bonnie asked as she looked at Max in shock that he knew Ash. Max grinned and slowly tipped his Pokegear.

"You and yours don't look like much, so how about you walk away?" May said as she felt her watch vibrate. She moved her arm and saw the words ASH IS HERE and smiled. "You know about this instead. Venusaur, Signal Blast, red!"

"Venusaur!" The Venusaur roared as it's flower started to glow red before a blast of crimson light shoot into the air.

"What's that supposed to do?" Josh asked dumbly as he looked up

"Call for help, Max get her over her! Blazikin Flame Flower, Venusaur Wild Growth, make some kindling!" Max barked before her Pokémon roared and green glowing thorny vines suddenly shot from the ground around the Machokes before Blazikin fired a blast of fire at the vines and set them aflame as Darris and the others covered their heads as Max grabbed Bonnie and pulled her towards Max with their Pokémon following behind them.

Ash looked around the outside of the Tower as Clemont finished the last of the updates to the programing for the doors as Pikachu stood next to him. "That's everything Clemont?"

"Yeah, that's everything, now a hologram will let everyone know that they need four badges to get in and they'll have to face the vice leader first." Clemont said as the doors behind them turned and Serena and 2N came out. "So the kitchen is ready for when Bonnie gets back with the food girls, I can't wait to start cooking!"

"Yeah, I'm starting to get worried you know, shouldn't she have gotten back by now?" Serna asked causing Clemont to look up at the sky and frowned before looking at his watch.

"Say Clemont, those people who attacked Bonnie, they were handed over to the police, right?" Ash asked as Serena started to get a sinking feeling.

"They should have been, but how would they have even…" Clemont began before going silent. "What in the world is that?"

Ash turned and paled when he saw a red pillar of energy rising in the sky in the distance and stared. _Wait, that looks like, but wait….MAY!_ He thought before he and Pikachu dashed towards, the others only looked at each other before running after him.

"Ash wait, what is it?" Serena called as they ran, Serena cursing she had left her weapon in the gym. _The way he's running is like when we saved Lilly back in Town, I think I need to find a new way to carry it._ She thought as she fingered her Pokéball.

"It's a signal I taught a friend's Pokémon a few years ago! We made it so that if we lost track of each other in combat we could find the others! Red means drop everything and they're in trouble." Ash said as the others ran after him. "And I really hope the fact that Bonnie is missing isn't part of this but I really doubt it!"

Clemont stumbled a little before Serena grabbed him and pulled him back along with her. "Thanks Serena, Ash you think something is happening to my sister?" Clemont asked with an edge to his voice.

Ash only laughed darkly and looked over his shoulder; show the two of them a dark grin on his face. "May you live in interesting times, I think I was born with that blessing and pass it on to my friends!"

A few miles away Lilith had started to feel something was wrong for a few minutes now and started to run towards the gym when she saw the pillar of light she had changed course and ran towards it with her cousin flowing behind her.

"Li, slow down!" Felicity called out as she ran after Lilith, some part of her wanting to have brought her gauntlets and greaves, but some part of her was wondering what was causing Lilith to move so fast.

"Slow down, something's wrong and Bonnie's there, I just know it! I'm not going to let anything happen to her." Lilith snarled over her shoulder and some part of Felicity was taken aback at how furious Lilith was and how sure she was that Bonnie was in trouble. _If anyone even touches a single hair on her head then I'll strangle the bastard!_ Lilith thought as she ran, her hand dropping to her whip as she moved.

Felicity saw Lilith's hand and scowled, some of her actions causing her to worry about Lilith. _Why the hell is she acting like this, I mean I've never seen her like this and the only….oh my god, she found him. Then Bonnie has to be!_ Felicity thought before she channeled a little of her Aura into her legs and increased her speed until she was running right next to Lilith.

She looked at Lilith's face and saw the look in her eyes and nodded, she was right. _She doesn't even know why she's reacting like this; this is perfect, just perfect! I can't wait until I can needle her about this!_ Felicity thought as she speed up and looked over her shoulder with a smirk at Lilith. "Well come on cous, I wanna meet the kinda person who can get this reaction out of you!"

Lilith looked at her and shook her head. _I don't know what she's talking about, but I know she's not that straight forward. Whatever, I don't want to let Bonnie get hurt!_ She thought as she speed up until she was right next to her cousin as they ran towards where they thought the light had come from.

Venusaur had formed a domed Protect that blocked Josh and his cronies from getting at May and all of them as behind them Blaziken fought against a large stocky humanoid panda bear with a long cape of this dark gray fur hangs down behind it that gave it the look of wearing a long coat and trousers. While this happened Ralts had kept the burning Frenzy Plants striking at the Machokes as they took them down, all the while May locked eyes with Darris as Bonnie yelled at Josh who yelled back as Max looked around for a way for them to escape, the Pangoro having attacked them from behind, the look Darris had sent it the only warning that they had, enough for May to order Blaziken to intercept it.

Bonnie looked at Josh as he directed his Pokemon to move around the Protect and try to attack it from all sides she just looked at Venusaur as it tried to keep up the Protect, growing scared as she saw the stain it caused her. _She can't last long, I can only hope that whoever saw that signal of hers, and I really hope Ash or my brother saw it._ Bonnie thought as she looked around and Max grabbed her hand and squeezed it. A cry caused her to look up and pale as she saw that the Machokes had broken down the last of the burning Frenzy Plant and moved towards the Protect when a cry startled them all.

"Rocker, Roller lets' go! Skyball Special and Close Combat!" A musical sounding voice called out before a rolling grey ball hit the Fighting types from above and unfolded into a grey quadruped wolf Pokémon that bit one of the Machokes before a red blur appeared and kicked another of the Machokes into another, knocking three of them down all told. The blur was revealed to be a red biped wolf like Pokémon stood next to the grey one and Bonnie could tell that both of them looked like their breeds were related.

"Who the hell, wait….Tyrouge jump!" Josh cried out before something else attacked the three of them.

"Liepard the Mankey, Night Slash! Skorupi Poison Sting the others!" Lilith's voice cried out as blur shot through at Mankey as white needles flew and hit Pancham but Tyrouge jumped and dodged the needles. Turning Darris saw Lilith and Felicity standing with her Skorupi standing before them as her Lipard attacked Josh and his cronies Pokémon.

"How many people are going to get in my way!?" Darris snarled as he clenched his hands.

"Count on three more, Pikachu Thunder Bolt!" Ash's voice called before a yellow blur suddenly dropped from above and landed between the Machokes.

"Pika." Pikachu cried cutely before it grinned evilly and released an extreme bolt of electricity that fried two of the already injured Machokes and caused them to pass out and the others two to step backwards as two of the trainers recalled the fallen before they all turned to the north and saw Ash, Serena and Clemont standing there with their Pokémon out. Clemont stepped forward and looked at Darris who looked back with a glare.

"Ash." May whispered as she looked at him as Max jumped with joy as he saw them as Bonnie smiled as she saw her brother.

"I should have known you would be behind this Darris! Leave my sister alone!" Clemont demanded as Darris just looked back at him.

"What the inventor can't figure out why I'm doing this, that old fool never should have given you the keys to the gym brat, I'm just showing you the results." Darris said as he looked at him with a smirk. _So the genius thinks I'm behind this, great. This way the boss will love it and the master will like this for our rep._ He thought as his Houndoom moved to stand next to him as his Pangoro moved to stand behind him as the others moved together, Josh and his cronies moving backwards as they saw that this was between those two now. Bunnelby jumped forward and looked at the Houndoom and remembered the battle between them as the Houndoom growled at it, both of them wanting to defend their trainers. "How about we have another match, just you and me, right here, right now. I win I walk, you win you call the cops on us."

Clemont looked at him and before he could say anything a roar sounded from above them and suddenly balls hit the ground and smog suddenly engulfed the junk yard!

"Next time punk, next time!" Darris called out from within the smog as Clemont coughed and covered his mouth.

"Fletchling, blow it away!" Ash called out as Fletchling trilled and the smog was blown away and the junk yard was revealed to be empty of Darris and the people with him. A few minutes later a siren caused them to look as a police car drove up with Jenny leading the way on her bike. Ash looked around and shook his head. _They had to have had a lookout, I don't know why who is after Bonnie, but I won't let them have an easy time._ He thought before something

"Ash, man its great to see you! I almost didn't believe that Bonnie said you were in the city. " Max said as he hugged Ash's legs.

"Hey Max how've you been? And May, what the heck are you all doing here, I thought you were with the Doc in Hoenn at that dig?" Ash said as he rubbed Max's head as May and Bonnie walked over to them as Clemont rushed by him and hugged Bonnie.

"Bonnie are you okay, what happened?" Clemont demanded as Bonnie looked at him and started to cry. "Oh Bonnie."

"I was walking around town when I saw her being chased by three kids and their Pokémon, I couldn't let that stand so I tried to get her away from them but they herded us here." Max spoke up as he stepped back from Ash as Pikachu jumped onto Ash's shoulder as Clemont looked at Max then looked at May as Lilith ran up and dropped down to look at Bonnie as Felicity walked up as Serena joined them.

"Thank you. I'm Clemont and this is my sister Bonnie, but I think you already know Ash." Clemont said as Ash just laughed a little.

"Yeah these are some old friends of mine, May and Max Maple. Max, May this is one of my oldest friends, Serena. This is Lilly and her cousin I guess?"

"Felicity, glad to meet ya!" Felicity said as Jenny and the officers final reached them.

"Allright, what happened here, what was that pillar of light….Gym Leader Clemont, what are you doing here?" Jenny asked as she looked over the teens and paled when she saw Ash. "Oh no, not you!"

Ash, May, Max and Pikachu started to laugh as the others looked on as Felicity and Lilith just looked at Ash with expected looks.

A few minutes later they were walking away from the police, Jenny promised to look into how Josh and his friends had been released and the group had walked off. May looked over at Serena and Ash and tried to think of what to say as Max looked at her and chuckled.

"So….?" May began as she looked at Ash who looked at her.

"What brought you to Kalos, I thought you'd hooked up with an archeologist of some-kind." Ash said as May giggled a little as Serena looked at May.

"Eh, Dr. Eve okay, I can't really say why we're here but let's just say that we're looking for something." May said in a noncommittal manor as Bonnie looked at Max rubbed the back of his head.

"I still can't thank you enough for helping me, how about you and your sister join us for dinner, I was out shopping for ingredients, still have to do that. I mean would that be okay Clemont?" Bonnie asked as Max looked at her with stars in his eyes.

"They probably have other plans Bonnie…." Clemont began before Max interrupted.

"Not really, we have a room at the Center but you know how that is, and having something Ash cooked is always a treat!" Max said as Ash grinned at them.

"You can cook Ash?" Bonnie asked as May, Serena and Max started to laugh.

"Oh yeah, your mom still runs Pallet House, doesn't she?" Serena asked as Clemont turned to her sharply

"Pallet House in Kanto, the place that all the guide books say you have to visit if you ever go on vacation in Kanto, the place with ten stars on a nine star scale, that Pallet House?" Clemont asked in shock while Ash grinned at him.

Jessie sat in a chair dressed in a short blue dress and a black hat and looked about the outdoor café as James stretched in his teal pants and black shirt. "How long until whoever's supoosed to meet us here James, I don't want to lose the twerps!" She said as James sighed and looked at her with a smile.

"We were early Jess, so sit back and relax. Besides, with the bonus we've earned with what we're handing over we can enjoy a good meal for once." James said as Jessie just huffed and looked away as a waitress in a maid uniform that hugged her figure with flowing hair that went to the small of her back pushed a small cart.

"Now the madam had a strawberry tart and the gentleman had a slice of apple pie. Will that be all?" She asked as Jessie looked at the uniform the waitress was wearing as she put the food down and fought down a bitter smile, remembering a few jobs and uniforms that she had done over the years that she had hated. _I hope the pay is good at least, I mean to act like that wearing something like that when I was her age, but still this is a pretty nice city, nice job to get some money for school at least. And that outfit might bring in the dates if the right people see her in it._ she thought as she chuckled as James spoke up.

"A pot of black tea and an extra cup please, and our compliments for the service." James said as the maid walked off pushing the cart back into the kitchen. James just shook his head as he speared his apple before taking a bite of it and suddenly went still before he forced himself to swallow and reached for his drink. _That was… I have to let Jessie know, she hasn't had my training to resist this stuff, but why is it in a civilian café?_ He thought as he tried to get Jessie's attention.

Jessie just started to cut her tart when she saw him discreetly make a sign with his left hand hidden from view by anyone in the café and she slowly put down her fork. "You know, maybe we should wait for our friend to get here, it's only proper."

"I suppose but do forgive me; you know how I feel about apples." James said as he looked around the street with an impatient look on his face as Jessie tried to look pompous. "When will he get here you think?"

As the waitress pushed the cart back and put the tea down James poured himself a cup before offering the pot to Jessie who poured herself as James drank it and sighed and his eyes relaxed a little, causing Jessie to relax as well. _So whatever set him off isn't in the tea, good. But what's wrong with the food, I guess we'll bring back a sample and see what's up here, just another wonderful problem we're having here in Kalos._ Jessie thought as she drank her tea and sighed. "So how do you think the company will do by branching into Kalos?"

"Given the problems the cooperation might see in competition, finding competent enough staff and then there's logistics." James said as he sighed and looked about the café and tried to look for anyone that might be trying to listen in.

"Still you know what they say, the best victory is always the one that's the hardest to win." Jessie said as a light chuckle came from behind them.

"Nice to see that you two haven't changed much." A voice caused them to turn to see a man with dark blue hair in a blue raincoat over a black shirt and pants sit down at their table.

"Pierce!" James gasped as he recognized who had had sat down. _The boss sent him here; it's just a simple pick up right?_ James thought as he looked at Pierce as Jessie poured him a cup of tea.

"We haven't seen you since that think in Unova, how've you been?" Jessie asked as Pierce calmly drank his tea.

"Come to think of it; aren't you a bit higher up for a simple meet and greet Pierce?" James said as Pierce nodded back at him.

"Well it is my vacation, I do this and I get a few days off in Kalos; all in all a good deal I have to say. I heard that you two made contact with a few old employees of yours that had to be let go a few years back before you transferred, how were they and their families?" Pierce asked as he looked at Jessie and James as the two tensed for a few seconds before forcing themselves to relax.

"They're just fine, they had to move like but when the neighborhood goes down what can you do? Say how about we go see them, they've only heard about you before I'm sure they'll get a kick out of finally meeting you." Jessie said as she discreetly tor off a piece of her tart from the bottom and slipped it into one of her pockets as she flagged down one of the maids. "We'd like our check please, and we'd like two carry out boxes."

"That's something we do for you miss, give me a minute and I'll have this back with your check." The maid said as she moved away with the food, causing Jessie to frown and share a look with James as Pierce looked on. _Now what is this, just what is the problem here? I saw that, now why would they take a sample of their food, is there something about it?_ Pierce thought as he watched, something about this interested him.

A few minutes later the maid returned carrying two small boxes with a piece of paper on top of them and put them on the table and bowed, the tops of her breasts showing as she did so. "Thank you for your patronage, I hope to see you all again."

Jessie nodded as she got up with James and Pierce following, with James picking up the boxes. "Well the reports are back at our rooms, come on." He said as he led the way out of the café, stopping to pay and after a few moments of small talk as they were out of sight of the café he opened the boxes and saw that the piece of apple pie didn't have the mark he made on the back of it. "They gave us new pieces, five to one they don't have what set me off."

"What did you taste in that piece of pie anyway?" Jessie asked as Pierce looked at them and listened in.

"A poison I know from my childhood; if a woman eats it, they gain a craving for it and if too much is eaten then they become….suggestive." James said evenly as Jessie looked over her shoulder and scowled at the café. "Of course if men eat too much of it they become well… let's just say it was used as a fertility drug on wedding nights and leave it at that."

Jessie looked at him and shook her head. "Your parents and the way rich people raise their children."

"Actually it was poison resistance training with my grandparents." James said causing Jessie to stop and look at him in shock, he could only shrug and look at her. "What can I say, they have a strange history. Of course that's all they would ever say on the subject."

Meowth longed on a bed and looked around the room with a smirk. _Let those two have all the fancy stuff, give me fish and meat and I'm a king. Course a few berries isn't bad either._ He thought as he looked around the room as Weezing and Arbok sleep while the newbie Inkay slept on Arbok, with Wobbuffet leaning against him, a snot bubble moving from its noise as it slept. A knock at the door caused the sleepers to awaken and Meowth moved towards the door, his claws extending as he waited for a reply, ready to use them if he had to.

"Yeah, that the room service I called for?" Meowth lied as the others prepared to strike.

"It's us, we've got our guest." James called as the others relaxed and Meowth sighed.

"Great it's you guys. So who'd the boss send…Pierce, he sent you?" Meowth asked as the Team Rocket members entered the room.

"Mostly so I can make an inspection of that sanctuary you all mentioned in you report." Pierce answered Meowth's question as he looked around and nodded as he saw the Pokemon had been ready to attack if they had to.

"Enough about that chum, do know where that chemical identifier is in our supplies, I have to check something." James said as he moved put the boxes on the bed and started to rummage through their bags.

"Oh that thing, under the region guide we picked up at the airport, about four or five things down. What's the deal?" Meowth asked as he looked at James.

"James detected a taste at the café, something about an upper-class accumulation aphrodisiac/ brainwash thing." Jessie answered as she put the piece of crust onto a small plate and James pulled out a small 5 inch deep metal contraction with a small screen on it.

""Your own work I take it?" Pierce asked as he looked at the machine. _Smaller than the one in the lab, it has to be slower but a field unit, I have to add this to my report on these three._

"Yeah, it was for one of our personal adventures, you know the rules." James said as he put the piece into the machine and activated it. As beams passed over the piece of food Pierce turned to Meowth as his eyes sweeped over Weezing and Arbok.

"I don't like to beat around the bush so I'll get to the point, I need you to tell me everything the sanctuary, particularly where it is." Pierce said as they waited for the machine to work.

"Arbok bok arb." Arbok said as he raised his head and looked at Pierce as Weezing floated next to him.

"Weezing weeze zing weezing. Weezing weeze Weezing zing." Weezing said as it nodded its body.

"So it was within a day's travel to the town where we meet up again hu, so it's near Santalune City hu, and the prey was basically fish or alligators, and the alligators grew tentacles." Meowth said as he nodded and looked at Pierce. "What do you want to know anyway….you're not planning to go there are you?"

James looked up as his machine beeped and he turned towards the machine as he listened to Pierce. _Whatever it is Pierce can handle it, let's see the chemicals are…but that works to! So not for taste then._ James thought as he looked

"Yes, my mission is to infiltrate the sanctuary, get a sample of the water and anything else I can." Pierce said as James looked up from his machine and frowned before sharing a look with Jessie.

"Well good luck, we've dealt with mutants before and it never good, my advice is try to track a loner or make a trap to draw one in. And before you leave we need to talk about the gangs around here, their too large and connected." James said as he looked at Pierce.

"How large?" Pierce asked as Jessie laughed darkly.

"All the eggs were from their breeding program, we stole them and a truck from the police. And those who escaped being arrested then fought a, I don't know civil war or insurrection? Yeah Kalos seems to be really weird." James said as Pierce looked at him as he handed over a key. "Here, the eggs are in a long term garage, passcode 'Type-Thief' connected, it's in Odyssey Village."

Pierce looked at Jessie, James and their partners and nodded. "Good luck, this should give you all a good bonus on your next if we're lucky I'll see you all again." He said before leaving the room, Jessie looked at the door and turned to James.

"So what did I almost eat James?" Jessie asked, causing James to look at her and sigh.

"Enough chemicals to make people come back there and if another is if the person takes enough of it they become **very** suggestible, thankfully you'd have to have at least half a pie to have. I think their using to recruit people, maybe even brainwash. Like I said, Kalos is very weird." James said as she fell back onto her bed. "Let's just get some room service and eat it after I check a sample."

Jessie waved him off and held a hand to her eyes, hoping that whoever owned the café didn't own the hotel. _That made no sense, was that place just a shot in the dark to get people to join them, if people are taken from that place then even the worst cop would track them down._ Jessie thought as James went to order their food.

A woman in a cloak walked through a darkened chamber until she stood at before a fire pit with a power blaze going in it, as the woman knelled before the flames from above a voice boomed down at her.

"Who comes before the Central Unity, what family do you represent?" The voice asked as the woman looked up and pulled down her hood, revealing the figure to be Rebecca.

"I, Rebecca Tristo, stand before the Central Unity, and I am here to become the Lady of the Tristo clan." The woman said revealing herself to be Rebecca Tristo as she lowered her hood.

"Your brother was a thug and he lived down the expectations of being one of us. Will you act as with the honor your position demands?" The voiced asked as she heard murmurs above her.

"My brother was a thug and an idiot beyond account, and most likely a kinslayer! I used my wits and my bravery to win my family's headship from him!" Rebecca declared as she kneeled and looked upwards.

"So you used deception to tricked him, but how will you be different from him, what will you be in his place?" The voice asked concernedly as the mutterings continued.

Rebecca sat there and bit back her words and thought deeply. _He's trying to get me to say anything, he's just looking for any chinks in my armor. I have to stay calm and focused, I can't let him even think he's having an effect on me._ She thought as she gathered her strength and looked upwards into the darkness beyond the fire and spoke loudly and clearly. "I used what I had to take back my family from one who in his ignorance and disloyalty was nothing more than a traitor to his family! As the Lady of the Tristo's clan, I pledge to stand for Kalos with my life and honor. I pledge to not make the mistakes that my brother did and hold to the high standards of my office, I swear to act for the battlement of Kalos and the great plan that this fellowship commands be done, so that the correct course of history returns!" Rebecca declared as she stood up and removed her cloak and threw it into the fire. She wore a green ballroom gown with light green lipstick on and lite green bug symbol earrings.

"Then stand Lady Tristo, stand and be among your peers. For a Noble Return!" As she looked up she saw representatives from the other family of the Central Alliance as they started to clap as they looked down at her. A door opened behind the flame and as the representatives moved away from the railings she walked through it as music started to play as she walked into a large ball room with food set up along the walls. Looking towards a staircase to the right side of the middle of the room she saw a staircase as people in formal cloths walk down, talking to each other as they moved.

"That was wonderful my lady, it was like looking at your grandfather again." A voice behind caused her to smile and turn towards Alexandr who stood there in a black tuxedo with a green scarf, his green hair was slicked back and he stood there with a look of pride on his face as he looked at her.

"Yeah Beccy, that was amazing!" Claudia said as she stood next to him a black cocktail dress with a white shawl with black lipstick and eye shadow, her hair in a bun Rebecca grinned at her friend and inside she was jumping for joy that her 'sister' was back to normal. _I would have killed dad myself, say what you will about kin-slaying but when your own are betrayed by family you have to handle it yourself._ Rebecca thought as she looked at her sister.

"Thanks you two, I barely was able to handle that. And now comes the more important job, socializing." Rebecca said as she looked at the people moving about the room, some of them moving towards the dance floor in search of partners.

"I never understood why your father never looked at this the right way my lady, I thought your grandfather would have told him why this kind of thing is important." Alexandr said as he looked on the festivities with a somber look.

"Father _his_ grandfather's creature; I just hope the curse is broken. As grandfather said, 'a party is a place to look for information like a fisherman does his trade'. With how my brother was broken out we have to find out if any of the others had anything to do with it." Rebecca said as she led the others towards a food table and grabbed a glass a server had brought her with a nod to him as he moved on. _If someone is trying to use him to cause a problem with the Family I_ _ **need**_ _to know. If anyone is trying to absorb us I need to know. If he's dead then I can celebrate later._ Rebecca thought as Claudia grabbed her own glass and smirked.

"Then I'll see if I can snag any fish sis, good luck." Claudia said as she sent a playful smile at her and moved off, a swing in her steps as she tried to draw in anyone who wanted to dance with her, Rebecca giggled as she watched her move away.

"It's a good thing you broke the psychic programing that scum Rex had put in her my lady, I had wondered where the playful side of her had gone." Alexandr's comment caused Rebecca to turn and hide a wince. _Sorry Alexandr but it's better for you to think that Rex did it instead of dad doing it to Claudia. She was always more loyal to me than anyone else and I really didn't like what he told me dad was planning when I was away._ Rebecca thought as she sipped her drink. Looking about she saw Palvo walking towards her and smiled.

"Lord Palvo, how are you?" Rebecca asked with a smile that she hoped enchanting.

"Oh I could be better my dear, but what about your family? With the _shame_ Rex brought to your name I wonder if you weren't behind his escape, a way to keep his punishment in house so to speak? And then there's the fact that his thugs weren't all captured by the authorities." Palvo asked as Alexander bristled as Rebecca kept her temper down.

"My brother will find no help from us, I will see him punished in the light. As for those fools who followed him, I expect that sooner or later they will be brought to justice, but how have you been Lord Jarlson, if I remember right haven't your own family lost a few customers lately?" Rebecca asked as Palvo only smiled back at her as Alexandr fought a smirk as he watched.

Claudia looked back and sighed as she saw Rebecca talking with the Lord of the Jarlson family and forced a wince down. _That old bastard, if he wasn't in lust over that racer then he might have been one of the old man's targets. Still I have to say if this is the party they throw when a new family ruler comes around I can see why they like to talk shop._ She thought as she moved about, hearing parts of conversations as she passed by.

"….Have you heard? The Battle Chateau in Cyllage City has a new leader, an Electric Specialist and he has a Golem that's an Electric type!"

"….and they say that the Korrina left on a training journey to master Mega-Evolution, about time in my opinion."

"….The street racing league started up again and I heard the TechZappers even dealt a real upset at the first race."

"I heard from a guy that he saw the Battler in a Den, the Battler! If anyone can get his loyalty….."

"….Grace opened the Jr. League and with all her victories she's not in the league this year so I wonder what she'll do this year to kill time until the next season?"

Claudia kept moving, doing everything to keep from reacting as she absorbed what she heard, her mind racing. _The Battler is here at the same time Ash is in Kalos. A battle between those two, I mean that would be something to see! Still I can't wait to tell the girls that he's here, the finals this year are going to be something else!_ She thought as she moved through the crowd as she blushed.

"Claudia, Darling! I haven't seen you in a few years, how are you?" a voice caused her to stop and force a smile onto her face as she turned towards the speaker. She was a girl her age with a curvy figure in a purple dress with blond hair in ringlets and covered her left eye, red lipstick and a hint of blush the only makeup with a ruby dangling above her breasts with a fancy looking fan in her right hand.

"Lizzy, how are you, how's that twin of yours?" Claudia asked as Lizzy kissed her right check.

"Oh Clair is trying the Corodator experiment they have up, something about seeing what the big deal is. Just as well, it's my turn to try the Performance circuit this year anyway." Lizzy said with a smirk.

"Oh my, I didn't think she was looking for a husband that badly, something wrong?" Claudia asked as Lizzy laughed.

"No, nothing like that really, it's actually simple." Lizzy said with a smirk. "And her favorite target left town a while back so she was just bored. And I can't believe that Rex was such a bore, it must have been such a _surprise_ to discover that he had become a gang leader."

Claudia looked at her with an embarrassed expression as she tried to figure out what Lizzy and her family knew. _What do they know; were they one of Rex's suppliers or customers? No, the Atonia family isn't involved in the drug trade so they couldn't be….Did Rex try to move on one of the Atonia markets or attack them?_ Claudia thought as she tried to formulate a reply. "Yes well he did say he was making a security force to protect the family's property after his attempt to become a Gym Leader didn't bare the fruit he wanted to. And then there was the death of the Lord and Lady, to think Rex would have had a hand in that!"

Lizzy only nodded as she laughed. "Well I always knew that Rex was a bit off, but that much? I guess some people are just trash. I must know dearie, has the younger brother been told what happened or is he unaware of it?"

"Well I know my lady didn't talk to him about it, but he'd have to have heard about it by now, but what about you, have your family done anything new lately?"

"Oh let's just say that one day soon the rankings will change and high families will have a new member, I guarantee it." Lizzy said with a smirk as she hid her face behind a fan.

"I hope so, your family has tried so hard to go up the ranks. And you'll never guess who broke Rex's boys!" Claudia said with a grin. Lizzy looked interested before a voice called out from behind them.

"Ahh Madame Elizabeth, I was wondering if you made it here. Do you have a moment to talk shop as it were, I would love a few moments of your time to discuss a business opportunity I believe that both of our families can profit from." A voice caused them to turn and see a man in a black suit and a grey over cloak walking towards them.

"Of course, I 'm sorry Claudia we'll have to finish our talk later, tell Rebecca I'll join her next garden party, give my best to her!" Elizabeth 'Lizzy' Atonina said as she moved towards the man. "Of course my lord, if you would explain farther?" She asked with a giggle in her voice as she took his offered arm and Claudia looked on with a smirk.

"Nothing changes, she's still the best student of the Charm course." Claudia said to herself as she walked towards a table with food, a sway to her steps that she knew would draw in her targets.

A hush caused the party to stop as the lights dimmed, everyone looking towards a balcony on the second floor as a man with black hair in a mask was bathed in light. He looked over the ballroom and seemed to exceed a sense of pride and leadership as the people looked at him. "Once more our fellowship is whole again. Since the war we have fought against ourselves and then we lost the line of our king, but the line will return!" He bellowed as the people below start to cheer and clap as he looked over them all. "Our ways and traditions are stronger than ever before, one day we return our nation to the proper course! It will be us that does it my friends that is a promise! We will save our land, for a Noble Return!"

"For a Noble Return!" Rebecca called out with the others as the lights came back on and people started to leave the room, some of them talking to others as they left the gathering. "Well that wasn't as terrible as father's notes would say, wasn't it Alexandr?"

"Indeed Madame and may I say; that you handled yourself perfectly!" Alexandr said as he looked at Rebecca with a smile on his face. _She was able to make ten appointments for the legitimate interests of the Family and was able to track down a few possible opportunities for growth. My lord if you could only see how strong she is!_ He thought as he looked at her as she looked over her shoulder and smiled.

"There you are, find any fish Claudia?" Rebecca asked as Claudia walked towards them, a spring in her step and a swing in her step that caused Rebecca to giggle a little bit as she saw the smile on Claudia's face.

"A few sister, and I was able to get a few dates for the next week! Oh, and I had a little talk with Elizabeth, she said she'll be at the next party." Claudia purred as she fell into step with Rebecca towards the exit, Alexandr following behind them.

"There you are Lady Tristo, I'm sorry but I need to bother you for a few moments, we have to talk to your brother." A voice said causing Rebecca and her party to turn. Walking towards them was Lord Regan Portoflora and he had a concerned expression on his face. "There's a small meeting room that we can use since everyone is leaving, if you don't mind?"

A few moments later Alexandr and Claudia stood behind Rebecca as she sat at one end of a long table as Regan took a seat at the other end.

"This isn't going to be easy but….the things that took him, we have no idea who or what they are." Regan began as a hologram of the attacked police transport with Scythers with metallic wing coverings and their right arms being replaced with saw blades and Toxicroaks with two purple liquid gas tanks on it back with tubes leading to nozzles on the arms where their spikes would be around the cut open door, a Dragonair with two sets of Fearow wings and metallic pincer like legs coming in for a landing with a girl with pink curled hair in black halter top and black mini skirt and purple knee high boots and two energy like horns on her head with her back to the camera.

Claudia looked at the woman in the picture and hid a frown. _Who the hell is that, I know her…where…wait. One of the new girls before Ash attacked the base, but then did she come to spy on us?_ Claudia thoughts died at what Alexandr said next.

"I wonder why anyone would be at nearby enough to get this Lord Portoflora?" Alexandr's question caused Claudia to look at Regan for a few minutes before looking at Rebecca who looked at Regan.

"My guard's question is quite prudent monsieur, do you have an answer?" Rebecca asked coldly as Regan shrugged his shoulders.

"The picture came from an anomalous source, one I didn't get the name of. I would think it was from someone who wanted to pay back Rex. That doesn't matter, what matters are those… _things._ I've sent an Alpha level message to all the Family heads, but since whatever these things are took your brother, I felt it was necessary that I tell the Tristo family head as soon as I could." Regan said as he looked at her , keeping his face blank. _I don't want them to know that Parvlo is behind this, I can still use his lust for Grace to my advantage._ He thought as Alexandr looked at him as Claudia and Rebecca had a whispered conversation.

"Thank you for this information Lord Protoflora, I trust if you learn anything else the Families will know as soon as you do?" Rebecca said as she got up and Regan threw a disc at Alexandr who caught it. Rebecca kept her face blank as her part left the building and got into their car, Alexandr got into the driver's seat. "Claudia I want you to start looking into everything that seems like this might have even a slim connection, use the guard. And did you tell her about him?"

Claudia chuckled and shook her head. "No, but that's why she said she'll come to the next garden party, we'll just have to tell them all at the same time!" She said before she started to laugh, Rebecca joining in.

Annie looked around the room she and her sister had been taken to after they had gotten to the Rocket base, a table and two chairs with a black glass window on the other side of the table from them. _How the hell did they find out about us, we were clear, how did they figure out what we were doing?_ She thought as she looked around the room with a scowl as she tried to figure out an angle to get away.

"I told you we shouldn't have done that sis, I told you." Oakley said as she sat at the table and sighed as she looked down at the jumper she was wearing. After the ship had reached the base the two of them had been escorted to a shower and given the jumpsuits to change into before being escorted to the room they were in.

"You went along with it sister, don't second guess yourself now. And we did nothing that would have resulted in them doing this, nothing at all!" Annie looked at her sister and forced a scowl down. _If they know about what we did in that damned city then could they know who we are? If they really are connected to those bastards!_ She thought as she paced.

"I went along with tracking down those tow Legendaries sis, not the rest!" She said as she slammed a hand down onto the table and just scowled.

"We did nothing that Team Rocket would have captured us for sister, nothing! As long as we don't move against the team, we can do what we want, that's what draws so many people to the team after all." She said as she looked at Annie

"This is all because of that plan for what we did in Alto Mare sis. You always had a hard on for that city." Oakly said flatly as Anne looked around the room looking for anything she could see as Oakly looked on with scorn.

"I think the walls have ears so let's stay quiet and maybe we'll make it out in one piece." Annie said as Oakly scoffed.

"They don't need to listen in on us sis, they have us dead to rights! As far as the rest of the world is concerned Team Plasma or Galatic took us, we have no rights and they have no need to treat us to the standards of any government or treaty!" Oakly spat, Annie only looked at her before turning away from her. "The only thing we can do is tell them what they want to know and maybe we'll have a future with the Team."

Annie looked at the window, trying not to let her sister know what she said had affected her. _She's right; they have us dead to rights. But why have they, nothing about this makes any sort of sense, what the hell does the boss want from us._ Annie thought as she looked at the window.

The door opening caused her to stop thinking and look towards it and saw Carr float in on one of his Forretress and stop on the other side of the table, a smug smile on his lips.

"I hope you two have enjoyed the accommodations, a good upgrade from your previous residence I'm sure." Carr said smugly as Annie's face went hard.

"What's the meaning of this?! As long as we do our missions we're able to do our own jobs on the side and command doesn't mind what agents do, isn't that the rule?!" Annie demanded as Oakley looked at her sister as Carr just chuckled and grinned at them.

Carr chuckled and looked at her with a patronizing gleam in his eyes. "Yeah that's the rule but we reserve the right to talk to you about them if we receive reports on your activities from other operatives and when you took over Alto Mare, well I'm sure you can see where I'm going with this can't you my dear?"

Oakley cursed and Annie's mouth dropped open. "There were other operatives in Alto Mare when we did that?! But why'd you wait so long to get us?!" Oakley demanded as Carr just started to laugh.

"Who the hell was there and could identify us, we had the entire city locked down!" Annie managed to splutter as Oakley nodded.

Carr just looked at them as they tried to identify just who had been in the city. _I won't tell them that the report was filed into the database without anyone looking it over! Still I never thought that those three would find anything like this, guess I can't judge those three like I thought when I saw their training!_ Carr thought as he smirked before replaying. "That's need to know, and you don't need to know. And you know I found something very interesting when I was looking over what we know about you, you never put down **anyone** as next of kin beyond your sister Oakley. Now I'm not a betting man, but I think that something about what you did was personal, am I right?" Carr asked as he saw Oakley flinch before Annie turned and looked at her sister.

"Personal, sis what's he talking about?" Annie barked at Oakley who only stayed silent and glared at Carr who only smirked back at her.

"Your silence is telling and the fact that your sister doesn't know what I mean, does she." Carr stated as Oakley only looked back at him. "Now what is the connection, something about you no…..something about your _parents_."

Annie jerked and looked at Oakley who looked at Carr with a hard look on his face. "Sis, what happened to our parents, didn't they die in a fire caused by a Chimera, that's what you told me when I got back from school!"

"They were attacked by a Chimera first." Oakley said as Annie sat down and Carr looked on. "Than people came and attacked after mom killed the thing. I was in the offsite panic room and I overheard them through Dad's gear after they killed them, they _sent_ the Chimera."

"Why the hell didn't you ever tell me, they were my parents too, I had a right to know what happened to mom and dad!" Annie exploded as Oakley only looked at her before continuing.

"Your boyfriend at school, he was one of them." Oakley said as Annie sat down and stared at her in shock. "That's why I always hated him, not me being overprotective, but because I knew that he connected to them, to these….whoever they are."

"I doubt that you let them go, so what do you know and how does it connect to the Alto Mare?" Carr asked as Annie looked at her sisters as she looked defeated.

"I don't know who they are but I've learned that their diffused all over, for a time I thought Team Rocket was one of their fronts. After we got high enough I learned what Team Rocket is really gathering strength for and why, the way those people acted, that's when I knew I was wrong." Oakley said as she sat there.

"Abusers then?" Carr asked as he patted his Forretress as it purred.

"Yeah, and the plan I had was to destroy Alto Mare's Defense system by overheating it, a few small fire bombs here and there and it would have been destroyed beyond all work, and the connection is that our ancestors were the people who made it." Oakley admitted as Carr and Annie looked on in surprise.

"But why did we have to steal a book if we made it, shouldn't the family have known all about it….the fire, it was destroyed in the fire." Annie said with shock as Oakley nodded.

"Dad's death set off a dead man's switch; it's why they sent me to the the panic room. I heard them curse him for it before they were ordered to throw the Chimera's and our parent's bodies into the flame, cover their tracks." Oakley admitted with a defeated look. "We stole the book because it was the only other copy on the planet that the family knew about, I needed it to decode a diary."

"Book Code, of course." Carr muttered as he shook his head. _Of course, book code needs specific books to decode right, especially the handwritten ones! If she needed an exact copy of a book to figure it out…then the data in the book might have been lost forever, good plan if someone came for it._ He thought as Annie looked at Oakley

"But why

"I made that plan because I learned that those people, including that scum ex of my sister was seen moving towards Alto, if I could use the system to attack them, to finally get answers

"Was this them?" Carr asked as he clicked a button and the symbol of the Order appeared on the wall. "We've captured a false Chimera Hunter recently, and he's been quite troublesome to question. I wonder if we could learn anything about what happened to your parents and why? Of course if you want us to ask that then you….." Carr began before Oakley interrupted him.

"Where'd you catch him?" Oakley asked flatly.

"Kanto, why?" Carr asked, a sinking feeling growing in him as she shook her head.

"Then he doesn't know anything, I learned early on in my investigation that their split apart, a lot of little factions that jockey for leadership. I learned the people who killed our parents were from Unova." Oakley said flatly as Carr looked at her with widening eyes, taken aback at this. _I really wasn't expecting that, I know that the boss thinks whoever these scum are they aren't that big._ Carr thought as he listened to what she was saying.

"That's interesting, very interesting. I think I need to contact the people holding our prisoner and use that against him. As for you two….The boss left me to decide what to do with you….you two aren't our prisoners anymore." Carr said as he looked at the sisters. "However I will be confining you to the base until we can get you orders from the boss."

"Thank you commander, I don't know if you know what happened to our Pokémon?" Annie asked before Oakley could say anything.

"We sent another team to recover them, the docs are looking over them but the report I saw they were put in storage and let out for a day or so every two weeks." Carr said with a weary look on his face. "The doc said you can have them back after another day or so, I'll have somebody come and bring you to better quarters and get you back your Rocket accounts."

Oakley nodded as Carr floated off and looked at her sister who was looking at her with a look of disbelief. "Go on, what's wrong?"

"What's wrong?" Annie asked with an exasperated tone. "Our parents were killed and you never told me, that's not talking about my EX!"

"I couldn't sis, how do I tell someone that her first boyfriend might have helped plan our parent's murder?" Oakley asked as Annie at her before dropping into a chair and sighed.

"I get it, but you should have told me. So we get out of here and then what?" Annie asked. "Because I really want to give some payback of my own to those bastards."

Oakley looked at her sister and smirked. _And that's another reason I hid it sis, you are so like me it's not even funny._ She thought as she shook her head. "Let's see what the Boss will do, maybe I can trade some of my own information about them to join in on any command he sets up to deal with them."

A teen in a red cloak moved through town, looking all over hoping to spot anyone following him. _At last, I thought they would keep the lockdown for another few days! I got away from the Protectors without telling them everything, and the others are still asleep last I heard. All I need to do is get to the boss and tell him about what I saw; he'll know what to do._ He thought as he slipped down to the back streets started to run, never noticing that he was being followed by something or someone on the roof tops. He stopped when he reached a downward stairway to a doorway and saw three teens his age lounging around the door and he sighed when he recognized them. As he approached one of them saw him and nudged the others who all looked up and saw him.

"Well look what the Meowth dragged in, thought you'd be still talking with the Protectors man!" One of the three said as the runner reached them and gripped his arm.

"Yeah brother you won't believe the trouble that those scum gave me! Anyhow are sir Charandas or Khadim here, what about master Aagha?" The runner asked as the guards snickered amongst themselves.

"Master Aagha is back at headquarters and sir Khadim is by the river port, he's looking into something the master gave him." Another of the three said as the runner cursed.

"Charandas went back to base with the take from this place during the lockdown, might be able to catch him if you go now." The last one said as the runner turned towards him

"Thanks brothers, see you when I see you." The runner said as he moved away from them, the three guards waiting until he was out of sight to start talking.

"Think the boss will make him disappear, I mean he did talk to them?" The last one of them asked with a chuckle.

"Nahhh. Our boys were taken out and most of them are still asleep or unconscious. I want to know what did it as well." Another replied as the first chuckled a little before smiling evilly. "But I never said we couldn't have the snitch in pain after telling us what got our boys, did I?"

The others looked at him before they all gained dark grins and started to laugh darkly. As they laughed they never noticed someone had overheard them as they had watched them and had slipped away following the runner, never noticing that a mass of shadows were watching the stairs and two of the shadows slipped away to follow the both of them.

Charandas whistled a little as he moved along the backstreets, a spring in his steps as he walked, a bag over his shoulder as he put away his Pokegear, the message from his brother causing him to smile. _So the order for those Ride Chimera are due in soon like we thought, the lockdown didn't affect our needs to badly. Once we have those things and with a few things from that Aura-smith we'll be able to pay a few visits to the camps and spread our power far and wide, a few attacks on their convoys if they don't play ball._ Charadas thought as he

"Sir Charandas, wait up!" A voice caused him to turn back and saw the runner moving towards him. _Wait a second, that's the survivor!_ He thought as he looked at the person as he ran to him.

"I know you, you were with our boys when they were attacked out there, the Protectors let you out already?" Charadas asked as he looked at him as he panted. Nodding the teen looked up at his superior.

"Yeah, and I was able to keep a few things back about what happened, I figured if they knew anything _real_ about how it happened they might look into the gang sir." He said as Charadas looked on with a neutral expression.

Charadas looked at the ganger before turning and walking away, gesturing to follow him. _So the punk has some brains, good. And who ever dared to attack our boys, a good beating and then we'll take everything they know about the Devouring Style and make this whole region ours! Still if Bahadur has anything to do with it, the boss will kill 'em._ Charadas thought as he looked at the runner. "Good, come on, the boss will want to know everything that you can tell him about who attacked our boys!"

"It wasn't a who, it was a what." The runner said causing Charadas to stop and look at him, a shocked look on his face before he hardened it and ran off, and the runner following behind him trying to keep up.

Aagha walked about his backyard and nodded to his followers as he moved about, a grin on his face as he moved about, planning about what he would do now that the lockdown had been lifted. _Once I get that brat Bahadur_ _I'll find out what he knows about the attack on my boys, and then I'll make him pay for everything he's done to keep me down._ He thought as he chuckled as he looked around

"Aagha!" A voice caused him to look up and saw Charadas coming towards him with someone following behind him. _Wait, isn't that the survivor that the Protectors grabbed?_ Aagha thought as he looked at the teen following Charadas. "Thought your brother would be back first, who's your friend?"

"He's who you think he is, but we've got to debrief him, he said that what attacked them wasn't a who but a what."

Aagha went still and eyed the runner and turned and walked towards the building he used as a meeting place for his gang, the others following behind him. Entering the building he led the way into what he used for his office. The room had a desk and posters of the Elites on the walls, Aagha sat down, activating a rune that caused an energy wave to move about the room, the posters being replacing with maps of the Doman with the camps near the city highlighted, one poster had a picture of Badahur with stab marks on it.

"Talk, now

The runner looked at his leader and nervously tried to figure out how to say this. "Well boss we ran towards the next bridge and didn't find anyone, but then we came across what the leader thought was a lone traveler. He decided to shake 'em down, and that's when it happened. They threatened 'em and then it attacked back, when they were down it just left, out into the wildernesss."

"One traveler, wait it so what was it a Chimera or a Pokémon?" Aagha asked as the runner paled and looked at him before replaying.

"Boss, it was….it was a _golem_." The runner whispered as Charandas and Aagha looked at him before sure Aagha exploded.

"A golem, drained the energy of my boys and their Pokémon?!" Aagha snarled as he looked at the runner and turned his chair away and started to think. _A golem does what it's programed to do, their a one off weapon or guard… is there a way around that? That would be a game changer, a real game changer._ He looked up at his two followers and made a decision. "Get out of here, now. No not you Charandas, stay. You wait outside and tell Khadim to get in here."

The runner bowed and moved away from the room, leaving Charandas and Aagha alone. Charandas stood there and grabbed a chair and sat down and looked at Aagha for a few minutes before speaking. "What are you thinking?"

"Golems are things that have a single command programing, they can't have a reaction to outside commands, that's why Homunculus are so wide spread, they _can_. If there's a way to make Golems reacted to new commands or situations, we need it." Aagha said as he chuckled. "The strength of a golem and the commands of a Homunculus and the ability to drain Aura form humans or Pokémon, we could rule."

Charandas looked at his friend and started to snicker. "You want to track it down and take it apart, find out just how it works. As usual boss you make the craziest plans."

"If when we send our people out there to… _visit_ the camps if they find any sign of its tracks, I want it." Aagha said as Charandas just shook his head.

"My brother messaged me; the Rides will be here in a few days. So the next stage of our plan can begin." Charandas said as Aagha chuckled.

"Good, once we get them how about that one leads the first attack group out?" Aagha said as Charandas continued chuckling. They never noticed a small Rattata wearing a vest with a microphone on it had been listening in from within a vent against the floor, staying there before moving towards the exit at the top of the structure.

The Rattatta moved out from the vent and jumped to the wall and dashed towards Sadashiva as he hid in an alley. He reached down and rubbed his Pokemon's head and looked at the wall, frowning as he went over what his Pokémon had overheard. _So it wasn't a human but a Rock or Ground Chimera that ate a Devourer then, wonderful. And he didn't tell the Protectors because he knew Rex would want first crack at it. I think I can sell this to B, he'd want to know what Rex is up to and the fact that he's after Ride Homonculus for his boys is something that he'd want to know._ Rat thought as he recalled his Pokemon and moved off, never noticing the shadows that had been trailing him and Maulers divided, one following him the other staying there.

Bahadur charged with his scimitar raised high and brought it down at Farbod short swords met the blow and pushed Bahadur's blade off and shot forward, slicing with his blades. Bahadur moved backwards, blocking or dodging the blows with his blade before he jumped back. Farbod made to chase after him when the sound of a gong caused them both to stop and put their weapons away. Bowing to each other the two of them moved off the makeshift battle field they had made in the damaged warehouse Bahadur and his friends used as a hangout.

"You're getting better with those swords of yours Farbod, but try and block me from escaping!" Bahadur said with a smirk as Farbod sighed as he grabbed a bottle of water his sister threw to him.

"Course for him to do that my brother has to think beyond cutting up his oppents, that's why I love to bash them up!" Etana said as she and Ruchika giggled a little.

"I'm sorry sis, was that ' I want to fight my brother next?' it sure sounded like that to me?" Farbod said as he grinned at his sister crookedly.

"Sorry, but we've got the next dance." Ruchika said as she go off the crate she was sitting on and moved towards the center of the room, the light from the damaged section revealing she was wearing a green fighter's gi and Etana followed after her wearing a white gi like Bahadur and Farbod were. As soon as Etena and Ruchika bowed the two flew at each other and started to exchange blows as Bahadur and

"Still think it was great of your dad to let us use this place, can't believe it's in such good shape after those raiders attacked a few months back." Farbold said as Bahadur nodded.

As they watched the girls spar Bahadur's mind went to the recent troubles he had with the Mauler's. _They had to have been looking for us, that has to be why they were out there, but was it a real one that attacked them? And where did they learn it, I mean Devourer's first, wait where did the first Devourer learn that damned art, when did they learn it?_ Bahadur thought as he tried to think.

"So of course Bahadur I mean….Bahadur you there bro?" Fabold asked as he shook Bahadur's shoulder, causing him to look up at this and saw Farbold looking at him and smiled a little at his friend, looking up to see that Ruchika had caught Etena's foot and threw her over her shoulder.

"Sorry, I was lost in my thoughts, say do you know where the first Devourer came from, where their name was first recorded?" Bahadur asked as Farbold opened his mouth and then frowned.

"No, I mean I've seen it in a lot of movies here and even in novels and history books but I don't know where the term comes from, that's kinda weird now that I think about it, you know?" Farbold said as he looked into space. "Why'd you even start to think about that?"

Bahadur waved a hand and looked at his friend. "It's what happened to those idiots that caused the lockdown, you know they had to have been hunting for us. We went back to town and broke through the ones he left to watch the bridge so I'm wondering what really happened to them."

"Wanna buy that info Bahadur, I'll even give you a discount because I already sold some intel to the Maulers that caused this." The voice behind them caused Farbold to scream causing Ruchika and Etena to turn towards them, Bahdur only drank from his bottle and sighed.

"So your why they knew I had my partner at last, I thought so." Bahadur said as he turned to see Sadashiva sitting behind him with his hood down. He grinned at the others and chuckled.

"Hey cut me some slack, I thought he would just challenge you to a battle, not ambush you like that." Sadashiva said as the girls walked towards them "If I knew anything like this would happen then I wouldn't have bothered, do you know how much info I lost because of that Lockdown? OW!" He exclaimed as Etena bopped him on the head and sent him to the floor.

"I should throw you in the river for that you little weasel!" Etena snarled as he rubbed his head. Bahadur just looked at his friends as Etena started to rant at and sighed before get out a small pouch of coins.

"Okay, full price but tell us about Aagha's 'dolls' and you don't tell him you told us anything." Bahadur said as he threw the pouch to Sadashiva who caught it and looked through it before sending a look at Ruchika.

Sadashiva looked around before starting to grin. "Well they're Maids types with hair the same shade as wind girl, so there's **that**. As for the attack on the knocked out brats, he said it was a golem that did it!"

Camellia walked through the city as the sun shinned down, dressed in a black robe covering her body with a scarf around her face leaving only her eyes exposed as she walked through the crowds, looking about she heard snippets of conversation as she moved.

"….and I still say Squall would have won this year again, giving who will be in the tournament."

"….so there I was, just fishing for supper when I heard a horn blow and there was one of the lords cargo ships being pulled into port!"

"Twenty credits for a single octopus tentacle, are you mad?!"

"Heard that that _blowhard_ Francisco is recreating for his new ship? Saw that ball of lard Demetrio walk into a dive by the dock last night with a stack of papers, think he'll go after his rival once he's on the open sea?"

"I heard that Nightsprout is really working for those scum who attacked us years ago, a false flag op!"

"….and get this, they say the lord is looking for a certain Homunculus crafter, something about his last party."

"I heard that an old cave was found that was the sight of an old Frankenmon maker's lair. A Pyroar with Dragonite wings was activated and attacked the party that found it before they caused the mountain to collapse and burry it."

She smiled as she walked, a chuckle escaping her as she moved. _No matter where you are, you can learn anything by letting the crowd 'talk' to you. Still it's only been a day and they already know that he's after the maker, or is this from before, something to talk to someone about._ Camellia thought as she walked through the streets, stopping at a at an open air café to read a menu, listening in on group of people that she remembered seeing at the party the other night and listened in as they talked.

A man with red hair in a wolf tail snorted as he looked down at a map on the table as the group he was with looked at it. "I mean sure if he makes it it'll cut time off travel by a lot but really, don't you think it would have been done already if it could be done?"

"You don't study history much, do you?" A man with short brown hair asked as he laughed. "It's been tried at least three times that I can think of by others lords, and each time something happened to stop it."

"Like what?" A woman with black hair in pig tails asked as the brown haired man laughed.

"Well if I remember right….the first time it was a Chimera attack that destroyed the work site before the Dessert Campaign, and then they tried it from the other way during the reign of Highlord Tukorvo and then there was a migration of Camerupt that destroyed the train they were using to carry supplies." The brown haired man said as the red head laughed.

"Well if it works this time then think of all the profits if it can be expanded! With the capital being at the center of the rivers, all the resources from the deep desert only has to travel there and then it can be transferred by rail!" The red head said as he looked at the others. "Think of it, we'd only have to pay shipping fees and we would save so much time!"

The brown haired man snorted and looked at the red head and just shook his head and sighed as Camellia moved away.

"If it hasn't happened yet I doubt it will happen this time, something will cause the project to fail, history has shown that only the Great River is safe for us to travel the desert. And like the others before him, this will be the project that ends his reign with this plan his final mistake." The brown haired man voice carried to Camellia as she walked away, her eyes locked on her destination as she moved, giving off no sigh that she had been listing in as she departed the area.

Camellia dodged the people as she moved through the crowd, a frown hidden behind her scarf. _That was informative, maybe I when I call the boss about this I should recommend for Mordred to provide security for the work, at the very least that Magnus sends an Earth Caster to help make sure the ground is suitable for any work they do. Still this is not why I'm still here, I think I've giving them enough time to cover up connections they have, so I should go there now._ With a mischievous look in her eyes, Camellia moved towards the city's town hall.

Sadri moved about his office as he tried to figure out what he could do. _The deal was that I wouldn't track her down sure they followed her but I called them back! But was my order only a part of their plans to kill me or did someone else hire them? And then there's Nightsprout whore, if my special products aren't replaced within the next two months, I don't want to think about my finances for the rail line! and then there's the reception for the highlord tomorrow night, I have to work something out!_ He moved towards his desk and pressed the intercom and sighed when he heard Orchid answer

"Ms. Orchid, I need the estimate on the repair work on the mansion as soon as they come in, also how is the work finding actual servers for tomorrow night? Oh and while I'm asking, how is the rest of the prep work coming along?" Sadri asked before he stopped and waited for a reply.

"Yes sir, in order then. The contractors have only reached the mansion as of an hour ago and they told me it would be at least three hours to go over everything, I contracted a catering company and arranged everything, the reception hall was painted and its drying, by lunch the tables will be set up and I'll have samples for the table cloths for you to go over by tonight. Also a few people have contacted us for the possibility of buying shares in the rail line and offered support for it." Orchid said as Sadri sighed.

"Thank you miss Orchid, please hold my calls for the next hour unless it's important." He said as he grinned as he looked out his offices window over his city and smiled. _Perfect, once the rail line get to the proper point I'll be able to find it and activate it, then with my daughter in tow and_ _ **that**_ _thing I'll be able to take over this land from that fool of a Count!_ _I am descendent from a ruler and I will rule as my ancestor did once!_

As Sadri smiled and dreamed about his future for a few minutes before a beeping from his intercom caused him to turn to it with a frown, wondering what had happened to cause Orchid to call him. "My apologies sir but your daughter is here, shale I tell her to leave?"

"No, tell her to come in, I have a bit of time for my princes." Sadri said as he looked towards the door. Nudara walked through the door in a simple purple dress with her hair in a ponytail. "Angel, how are you my dear, what brings you to visit your dear father?"

Nudara looked at him with a chilly look and spoke frostily. "I would be a lot better if you tell me why I can't leave the city father or call out!"

Sadri looked at the scowl on her face and inwardly sighed. "I'm sorry dear but I need you to stay in the city for a few more days, at least until I'm sure this wasn't part of a larger plan to kill either of us, and if you call anyone someone could intercept it. Just please give me a few days for my peace of mind. I have no doubt in my mind that that witch Nightsprout has something to do with that terrible attack."

Nudara looked at her father and scowled at him. _Of course 'I' was part of the attack, not the result of anything that you've done to people to become the lord or you're 'other' business. I wonder if the Homunculus attack was because you doubled crossed someone, I mean I've seen you do that too many times over the years._ She thought as she looked at her father and kept what she really wanted to say down. "Fine but I want to be able to leave again once you feel better, and I want to be able to call out of the city!"

Sadri looked at his daughter started to think. _That's probably the best I can expect from her, and that's fine. I need those days to as window dressing so I could probably give her phone access today but I need to make a good showing so…that could work._ He thought as he looked at her and nodded. "Thank you angel, no more than five days at the most, I promise. You can make your call in three days, I'm sorry but that's the best I can do."

"I can accept that daddy, will you be home for supper?" She asked as he nodded at her.

"I'll try, I won't promise but I will try." Sadri looked at her and smiled. He was about to continue when his intercom signaled him and he gave her a bitter smile and activated it. "Orchid what is it?"

"I'm sorry sir but the Lady Camellia is here, she wants to speak to you in the name of her station." Orchid stammered as Sadri palled as he looked at the door, his heart beating loudly as he swallowed. _What could she want to talk to me about, she couldn't have gotten in touch with him and gotten orders to stop my plans, could she? Could they know the truth about what I'm doing?_ Sadri thought as he tried to keep his composure and swallowed before pressing the intercom.

"Send her in Orchid, please." Sadri said as his daughter looked on with a blank stare.

Camellia walked into the room with a sense of purpose and authority in her walk that almost caused Nudara to bow down and she saw her father move his body and inwardly scoffed at him. _So you can act so tough and powerful when you are 'talking' to those you considered lower then you but when you meet someone with real power, then you cave in. And this is why I'm going to expose you, and take advantage of 'that' law when I do!_ She thought as she looked at her father with a hard look in her eyes, never noticing that Camellia had seen it.

"Lady Camellia, what can I do for one of the Count's Elite? Is this because of the attack last night, because I can assure you that….." He trailed off as Camellia looked at him and smiled, a single fang revealed that caused him to swallow.

"Lord Sadri, rest assured this is has nothing to with the attack, I merely wanted to talk to you about your railroad." Camellia said as she sat down in a chair as

"My railroad…. Of course! Now we're only in the survey portion of the project and for only at least ten miles out so far, but it looks good. Advanced since the last time this was done with seals will enable us to keep Pokémon from damaging the tracks and will allow us to know the state of them at all times." Sadri said as he felt relief that this was why she was here. "Rest assured before I gave the go ahead to even attempt this I went over all the previous tries and looked into how each part of the project failed then, this time we will succeed and usher in a new era for this Domain."

Camellia looked at him as he talked, her mind wandering to the man's daughter. Something about her was familiar to her senses.

Nudara looked on as her father talked, and did all she could to keep a frown off her face. _He's not telling us anything, he has another reason behind this… there's no way that he could use this for that so why…I need to talk to the Spiderling, get the girls to start looking into when his next shipment is and have her integrate the people we capture._ She thought as she listened.

"….and I am convinced that this will allow the Domain to be much more profitable." Sadri finished as he smiled and looked at her. Camellia smiled and nodded as she got up.

"The only thing left to talk about is the attack; do you have any leads yet?" She asked as Sadri started to sweet a little.

"Not yet, I have a few people who I think could be behind it. I am looking into an unknown Homunculus Maker as the source, the mastermind I have a few leads, based on previous investigations and the like my Lady." Sadri said as he scowled. "My personal bet is on that with Nightsprout, she's always attacked my interests!"

"'Nightsprout'? Camellia asked as Sadri blushed before Nudara interjected.

"Lynda Nightsprout, a pirate that has been attacking my father's shipments for a while now. Most recently she attacked a ship and took everything but the engine from it." Nuderea said as the others turned to her, her father paling as she kept speaking. "No one knows who she is or where her ship came from, she came out of nowhere and started to make a name for herself."

Camellia looked at Sadri before turning towards Nudara. "Perhaps your daughter can tell me some more about her, she seems to know just who you think was behind the attack."

"I would be happy to my lady, but would you mind if I ask for a few pointers, I'm a pretty good amateur Performer and I would love some tips from the current champion's couch." Nudara said as she curtsied to Camellia who smiled in return.

"I would love to my dear, come I believe that there's a good restaurant nearby that has privacy curtains, at least according to the guidebook for the city." Camellia said as she smiled at the younger teen and turned towards the door, Nudara following behind her.

Sadri waited until the door closed before dropping in a chair and had a clutched his chest as he fought to get his breathing back under control.

"Your father seemed to be…." Camellia trailed off as she tried to find a polite word to use when Nudara just scoffed.

"Overbearing, controlling and full of himself?" Nudara asked with a complete dead tone. "My lady I was dealt with that my whole _life,_ it's really nothing new."

"My apologies, I was trying to be polite. But this plan of his do you know anything, is he serious

about them?" Camellia asked, seeing ways from publicity, a PR or banking on it failing for some reason for him to go to the effort behind his project.

"He sprung it on everyone, I knew he has been trying to amass a lot of financing for the last year or so, I never even saw a single ripple of this." Nudara said with a chuckle as she inwardly winced. _I have to look at the spies I set up here and there about the house, if he's planning those off site then I need to find out where, if he arranges an ambush then this might be over._ She thought as she tried to figure out what she could safely tell Camellia. "But I do know that my father's plans are never as straightforward as it seems."

Camellia looked at her as she said this, detecting another point that his daughter at least had a good head on her shoulders. As they passed an old woman being helped by a younger teen she saw the old woman look at her and nod to her, Camellia doing everything not to react. _So their going for that route, good they might find something. Still a good meal while I talk to a young Performer is just what I needed._ Camellia thought as she looked about.

"So, what kind of questions do you have my dear, I have nothing but time.

"I was wondering why Lilith isn't on the circuit this year, I was looking forwards to seeing what she has." Nudera asked as Camellia forced a smile onto her face.

"Oh my girl went out to try the way out there; if I remember right she went to Kalos to try the contests there, something about a petition to let males perform." Camellia said as she shrugged at Nudera's look. "Something about something called the Pokémon Showcase being opened only for girls, I'm not sure she really choose the region at random."

As the two walked off they never noticed someone had overheard them and ran off, a manic look on his face as he ran, hoping that his master wouldn't react to badly about what he had learned about Lilith.

A helicopter flew towards the lake and as it came in over the trees something dropped from it and landed in a tree and moved as a shadow towards the dock which was a hive of activity. The helicopter landed and a woman with Lilac hair in a long ponytail that went to the middle of her back got out. She had on sunglasses that hid her eyes and looked around the area, a frown on her face as she observed the port. She saw the remains of the sunken ship and saw row boats moving from the island to the shoreline, a line of officers directing people getting out of the boats into either a tent or vans, and moved towards the tent at a brisk walk. An officer was standing outside the tent and went to attention when he saw her walk towards him, saluting as he did so.

"Ma'am! I'm the officer that was in charge of the relief effort! The warden's inside getting a head count of everyone, you'll want to talk to him I take it?" He asked as she reached him. As she nodded, he opened the tent flap and let her in. She stepped into a mad house as people talked with each other as they rushed about. After a while she noticed a bald man with glasses in a brown suit stood in the middle cleaning his head with a handkerchief and was looking at a guard who had a radio before a map of the island in the lake.

"….I can't believe this, how, just how? I want someone to explain to me how the hell something like that could have been on the island for so long without anyone finding it, I mean we have patrols!" The bald man demanded of the guard and the guard only looked sheepish as he shrugged.

"I just can't tell you boss. I mean I went that way about a week ago and I saw boulders in front of where the tunnel is. I guess sometime in the past a battle caused the tunnel to be sealed on our end, the only way it makes sense." The guard said as the woman walked towards the warden.

"Problems Warden?" She asked, causing him to jump and turn to him with an angry look on his face.

"Who the hell are you, we're in the middle of a situation here!" He demanded as she only reached into her suit and withdrew the badge of the International Police causing him to pale as he realized who she was. "Ahhhh. You must be the agent they said that would be sent here, how do you do? I'm the warden, Jared Torix and we just found out how Team Galactic made their attack on us."

"Agent A, explain how you think they did it." Agent A said coldly as the Warden started to sweet.

"Well first we believe that they were behind the two attacks of the Water packs. A disposable chemical dispenser was found in the bilge of the ship that released what we think, what we know was a chemical lure." Warden Jared said as he watched Agent A and swallowed before spitting out what had gotten him so made. And while they attacked from the ship they attacked from behind."

"How did they get on the island without anyone noticing, shouldn't that be impossible." She said as Jared shot a glare at a guard before sighing and dropping his shoulders.

"Ahhh yes about that. it seems that when the surveyed the island they didn't quite check on a rock formation that hide a tunnel."

"That went where?" Agent A asked as she looked at the Warden looked away.

"A cliff face to the north of the lake from the prison island overlooking the dock. The second force used that to slip a force that attacked the prison as the ship force attacked from the front." The warden said as he watched the agent's face go stormy as she stood there until she seemed to stare at him through her glass and made him want to cover.

"A tunnel that leads from the mainland to the island, I won't make noise but this will affect if the prison will remain active." Agent A said as she looked at the warden who only nodded. "But have you been able to identify all the prisoners, who was taken?"

"Well we don't have complete records yet, a lot of them are still round the island, the attackers set it on fire before they left so the people all escaped into the wild." Warden Jared said as he looked at her. "But we know that at least the people we had in one of our solitary cells."

"And who was there?" Agent A asked as she looked at him. he swallowed and looked at her before speaking.

"Two members of Team Rocket captured in Johto, the Phantom; international crime boss; Colorless and Geist, both leadership tier of Team Plasma, which is who we believe was behind them." Jared said as he looked at her, somehow know she was glaring at him through her glasses. "We think that they hired Team Galactic's remnants to buy time, not knowing that we had a shift changing coming in an hour after resupply for the day after, we leave that up to the local police to coordinate."

"That's something that I will recommend stays the same no matter what, but I need to talk with the convoy leader, I have to get his expressions of the incident." She said as he nodded at her.

"Of course my lady of course. Please don't let me keep you, I'll just stay here and keep count of the prisoners, I've already issued orders that some of the guards to watch the tunnel on both ends." Jared said as Agent A walked way. Jared gritted his teeth and forced down a snarl. _That stupid bitch, all I need to do was to bribe the agent who came but not the famous Agent A! I just can't believe this, if they find out that I knew about that tunnel and kept it as an unofficial escape route, not even that I let gangers buy data about transfers._ He thought as he looked after her before turning to the guards watching him. "What the heck are you all doing, get back to work! I want numbers of how many more trips we need, I want to know how the packs are behaving and I want numbers on total recaptured prisoners now!"

Agent A smirked as she walked towards a cafeteria where the truckers had been sequestered. She looked towards the trucks and saw a few mechanics going over them and he just knew that this was going to cost them but the contracts called for the repairs if they were attacked by criminals on the way to and from the prison. _And to think that the warden thought he was so smart to make it that the area that was for this was before the pass, he never thought that it would happen._ She thought with a smirk as she entered the room and suddenly two people stood in front of her and looked down at her.

"Well, well what have we here? Do you need one of us for a scapegoat?" One of the people growled, Agent A looked at them and inside she knew that this was something that would go on her report.

"Oh you two, let her in she's not with those bastards with the warden." A voice from behind caused them to look at each other and step aside to see the truckers were all against the walls with the leader in the center.

"I hope you will forgive my boys, they mean well but we don't know if they'll gonna use us as scapegoats or not." He said as he gestured to a chair across from him.

"I completely understand but I have to ask how you came to that conclusion." She asked as he looked at her before nodding.

"When the guards came back and we helped get the emergency boats into the water and sent a few to help the prison out, after the warden and his personal guards came we were told we weren't needed and put here." Zed said as he shrugged as the truckers looked on. "Some of my people are a bit security concerned so they upgraded their trucks with a little surveillance tech and then well…. We heard a few of his boys talking about buying them after they were impounded and we were set up as accessories."

Agent A looked away with a scowl on her face. _That is so going on my report. Well warden I think you and yours are going to be some of the only people who understand what it feels like to be on both sides of a cell._ She thought as she looked back at him. "On behalf of the International Police, I promise that only the guilt will be punished for this. But I need to know everything you can tell me."

"Fine then little lady, that's just fine! The name's Ariados Zen, call me Zen little lady. Well to start off I had a bad feeling about the replacement crew, something just rubbed me wrong about them." Zen said as he offered her his hand. She shook it and activated a record before nodding at him. "Any how once we started to leave I felt something was wrong so when we made it to the pass and that feeling intensified I ordered the convoy to circle the wagon so to speak and then we were attack from the tress by Pokémon, the trainers had to have stayed out of sight."

"The species of Pokémon used were?" Agent A asked as Zen nodded at her and scowled.

"Yeah, once I saw their line up and saw their uniform I knew that something was wrong. They used Raticates, Golbats and a few Beartic." Zen said as Agent A looked at him and nodded, understanding that with the exception of Golbat those weren't Pokémon that Team Galactic or Team Plasma used in the past, but the types canceled out the guards Pokémon so they could have made their teams for that reason. _But who got that Intel, that's a large clue into who is behind this. It could have been gathered by someone watching the prison, but how long did the attack take to plan, that's the real question._ She thought as she tried to understand what she had just heard.

"So you held them off until their airship came and they retreated then. How long were you there before the guard shift came?" Agent A said as Zen smirked.

"We were there for about an hour before their cars found us, told them about what we saw and offered to help." Zen said as he shrugged.

Agent A looked behind her in the direction of the tent the warden was in and silently promised to make his life hell.

Jared looked about as he got the last bit of information from the island and started to pace around the room. _Besides a few stragglers and the people from the solitary confinement, we were able to recover everyone and I expect that I'll have the last few besides them in a few hours._ He thought before a cleared throat behind him caused him to turn and see a man with a black goatee into the same uniform as his guards but wearing a black armband around his right arm.

"We went through the tunnel and found nothing; the tunnel goes straight from the cliff to the island, no side tunnels or off shoots leading anywhere else. Basic animal life, a few signs of Pokemon hunting there but nothing that would have told us about." The man said as he looked at Jared. Jared sighed and gestured for him to follow him out of the tent and away from the people towards the trees.

"We have trouble, the Internation Police sent the great Agent A herself." Jared said when they reached the tress. The man with the black goatee whistled and looked at the dock, looking at the building and smirking when he saw a few truckers looking out the windows, a thoughtful look in his eyes as he tried to figure out how to use this, a grin slowly growing on his face as he looked at the building.

"Perfect boss; all we have to do is send the rest of the lower guards to the island, and then get the bitch to the wilderness." Benard said as Jared looked up at him, a look of confusion as he listened. "Once she's taking out, we can kill the truckers and say they tried to escape and fought to kill us, killed her and say they were Team Galactic fanatics all along, buying time for their leaders to try and escape."

Jared looked at Bernard and started to chuckle. "That could work, it will work! We can get rid of her and the truckers trucks don't have to be repaired; we can sell them for scrap!"

As Jared and Bernard walked back towards the tent, they never noticed a figure in the trees had been watching them.

Yellow looked around the people as they gathered to the entrance to Route and sighed. _I know that we all talked about it between each other and we decided that this was for the best, but I still don't like this, I mean with what could happen when we leave….but we can't let this chance slip by._ She thought as the hustle and bustle died down and she looked towards the front as Giovanni walked to the front where a small stand had been set up.

"I won't introduce myself because you all know me, you wouldn't be here if you didn't. We're attacking what could cause another Siege and I remember the last one, all the lives we lost because of those _things_." Giovanni said as the people around him started to yell and Yellow felt a shiver go through her, part of her wanting to go with them and attack the Chimera but she couldn't, she had to help her friends. "But don't lose heart; we are going to stop this! We will go into the mountains and we will make that their death grounds! Today, we live and they fall!"

The crowd roared before quieting down as Giovanni raised his hands and resumed speaking. "We are not alone! As I speak Bruno is leading a force from the Plateau! We will crush them between us and save our families, are you with me?!"

At the final roar all the trainers and volunteers released their Pokémon and Giovanni smiled and turned to Lance, Brock and Yuji as they stood behind him.

"Well what do you all think; good motivational speech?" He asked as he released an Onix as the others looked at each other.

"Not bad Gio, not bad. Think we'll draw the short straw or will Bruno?" Lance asked as Giovanni chuckled and shook his head.

"If we're lucky then Bruno will but I think it will be us, unless their attacking the Plateau. Got any eyes for strong trainers doctor?" Giovanni asked Brock as he got on his

Brock released his Steelix and sighed as he made sure his two hammers were secure on his back as he looked around and noticed Riley and Rosettestanding together back in the center of the trainers, all of them getting on their Pokémon. "The plan is the same as we discussed earlier?"

Lance nodded at him and released his own Pokemon, a Salamance he got onto its back. "Yeah; we find and attack the Chimera, using an opening a small group breaks off and attacks their den. If anyone from Bruno's group can do the same then both groups will meet up and together they hit the 'mother', that's why we have those modified Gears, so we can meet up."

Brock nodded, the local gears they had been given were modified to connect to any other modified gear, all they had to do was get close to them and they would detect each other. _Lance was smart to add those to the plan, never even knew it was possible to do that with tech. And this might be the best plan to deal with the 'mother' we have but I still don't like this one bit._ Brock looked at the others and felt he had to bring up his concern before they left.

"I still think there are too many parts, if those things have even one of them escape, then who knows what could happen." Brock said as his Steelix moved down to let him get on. "If they can make a comeback!" Lance Giovanni and Yuji all shivered at Brock's words as they thought about all of the terrible history and legends about Chimera and they imagined what could happen.

"That's what we have to prevent, and striking now is the best thing we can do, with Bruno oming down one of use will be able to slip behind them and strike at their hive mind's source." Lance said as he got onto his Salamance and looked at Brock. "Giving how they act after we kill the Alpha strains, logically if we kill the source-mind then we can kill them all."

"Still." Yuji said as he got onto his Tauros and looked at the trainers, his eyes catching Riley on his Salamence and Rosette on her Arcanine and knew those two would most likely be part of the secondary attack team, if only to find out how they were released from the seal the guardian's setup to deal with the Chimera in the first place. "What do you think our chances are to pull this off right are, really?"

"Good enough, once we met the Chimera we have to look out for any kinds that might be plant-like, they have to be the source of the spores, good thing they don't work on humans, and I right or not?" Lance asked with a chuckle as Brock nodded, a spike of fear hidden as he felt his new abilities just below his skin and wonder **if** he would affected by the spores now. "All we have to do is make sure that we don't get bogged down and they don't have any more surprises to throw at us, then we can deal with permanently."

"With what we saw up there doc, you gotta admit we need a force like this just to handle what those things can put between us and their nest. We tried the small approach, now we've got no choice but to go the heavy way." Yuji said as he looked at Brock before looking around at the trainers. _This might be for the best; Salma is staying behind to help Jenny out and talk to her about becoming that girl's guardian. I just hope that survivor they found talks, I don't like the fact that someone was around the city to make a base and I didn't hear about it._ Yuji thought as he sighed and looked at Giovanni as he rode his Pokémon to the entrance to the Route and turned to look at the trainers and Pokémon.

"YOU ALL KNOW WHY WE'RE DOING THIS, SO HEAD 'EM OUT!" Giovanni screamed and pointed forward and with a roar those who had joined the assault squadron moved out.

Rosette reached down and petted her Arcanine head as it whimpered a little and stood still as the other trainers and their Pokémon moved by the two. "Don't worry partner, this time we're going to have some help to deal with them."

"And you shouldn't have to deal with them at all, they did fire you and use you as a scapegoat remember." Riley said to her left, causing her to smile a little as Cameron stood next to his teacher and nodded.

"Yeah, once the all of them see how hard it is to fight these things you'd probably get that dishonorable discharge overturned easily!" Cameron said as Rosette just chuckled and shook her head.

"'To Defend and Protect', that's the oath I took when I graduated and joined. This is a threat that killed my outpost, I need to help put it down, and you need somebody to watch your back." Rosette said as she looked at Riley as Cameron clenched his hands and looked at Riley who shook his head.

"No Cameron." Riley cut off Cameron before he could even open his mouth. "We talked about this, you know why you have to stay here, and you know why."

Cameron looked at his teacher and turned his head. "I still think I should go and help you master, do you really think….." Cameron trailed off as Riley nodded and Cameron just sighed. "Good luck then master, come back alive, I can't carry on alone."

Riley nodded as his Dragon Type took off before Arcanine started off, never noticing the look Rosette sent him, wondering what the exchange master and student was about.

Yellow stood with her bow over her shoulder on the wall and watched as the trainers rode their Pokémon towards the mountain. _Good luck warriors, if everything goes like you planned then me and my friends can slip away with no problems._ She thought as she watched, never noticing someone behind her.

"So when are you kids going off and why?" Pakwa asked, causing Yellow to spin around clutching her heart.

"Must you always do that appearing garbage all the time!? And how'd you know?" Yellow asked as the group left the city as the two of them watched the army leave to head towards the mountain Chimera to defeat them.

"Let me have a little pleasure girl, at my age you gotta take what you can get." Pakwa said as she looked into her past as she smiled. "I'm sure when you get to around my age you'll have

"I saw you grab my granddaughter at the gathering and saw you talk on the march to Viridian. Haven't figured out the why, figured the best thing to do was wait a little but you'll all not going with them so what are you all doing?" Pakwa demanded as Yellow looked at her.

Yellow bit her lips as she looked at the Matriarch of one of the three biggest farming families in the Viridian area, a woman who had weathered two Sieges and killed Chimera with ease, a former Pokemon League member who was once on the list of people who could have been one of the _Elite. It might be good to tell them what's happening._ Yellow sighed and looked at her.

"When I saw those plant things, I saw them attack Team Gaia, and I saw someone who's missing fight on their side." Yellow said as Pakwa went still and nodded.

"And it was someone who my grandchild knows and she's going with you to pull 'em out so not someone who would be with the bastards." Pakwa muttered and nodded as she thought. _Has to be a friend to both of 'em, but who? Someone who all of them want to help._ Pakwa thought as she looked at Yellow.

"Sure they just didn't join up with 'em, bastards are convincing, I mean I almost got suckered by em you know?" Pakwa asked and Yellow started to laugh.

"Him be pulled in by them, never! They had to have done something to him, that the only explanation that makes sense!" and she nodded at the younger girl. _So someone who wouldn't join them normally; then does that mean Gaia using brainwashing to control their 'recruits'._ Pakwa thought as she sighed.

"I can't figure out who it is but are all of you going to leave soon?" Pakwa asked as Yellow looked at her sternly.

"We were planning to wait until we were sure that the Chimera didn't get a group around the attackers, so sometime tonight." Yellow said as she looked at Pakwa who huffed and looked at Yellow.

"You all think that this is the best thing to do, go and maybe fight, if people see

"We're just going in force to make sure we can fight our way out if we have to, if our friend is who we think. We're planning to Of course if someone makes a stink about it!" Yellow said as she looked at Pakwa with a deadpan look to her eyes before Pakwa sighed and nodded.

"Fine, fine. I won't make any noise about it, I owe you for the how you saved me grandnieces during the plague, but just come back and you better leave where those fools are hiding for me." Pakwa said as Yellow raised an eyebrow before Pakwa continued. "If you get captured then we, I need to know so I can get the Rangers and League to come and save you young whippersnappers."

Yellow nodded, never noticing Cameron moving towards the hospital to guard it from the outside, his head looking at the attackers over his shoulder as he moved. _I'm glad Yuji told us about what the police called the gym about, but I wish I could have gone with Master. But if the Order sends a kill team, if some of their precious 'Sanctified' or Inquisitors are part of the attackers, the way they could tear through the police, I gotta be here to back them up if that happens._ Cameron thought as he moved closer to the hospital, wondering just where he would hide when he got there.

As all the Chanesy moved about and harvested berries as a Machoke in armor looked on as Machops in armor wielding swords moved about the clearing as the Chaneseys did their work. He sighed as he thought about what he had done to earn this 'gift', leading an attack on the enemy. The attack on the Old Ogre when they had killed the Tropius, he could agree that he had acted without telling command but that thing's creatures had already killed his sire, didn't the Queen and the Champion think of that!? His sire had served for years and broken rebellions and led campaigns that gave them the domination of their territory, he had found another of the ancient bases and a tree with a Power Fruit in the name of the creator! So one of the Ogre's things had attacked and taken that site, the guard had to be

A pat on its leg caused it to look down at Chanesy holding a yellow berry for it to eat. He took it he nodded at the Chanesy who smiled and moved back to the bushes and went back to work. At least some mon appreciated his work. He reached down and picked up his double sided axe and let it rest on his shoulder and moved, might as well do a patrol, keep moving and all that. As he walked he saw most of the Machops diligently walking around, most but not all. One of them was just sitting on a log and looking away from the Chanseys as they worked.

"Machoke!" The Machoke barked at the Machop which turned its head to look at him, a scowl on its face as it stood up and saluted. "Machoke Mach oke Machoke!"

"Machop, Mac hop!" The Machop barked back and picked up its spear and pointed towards a tree farther out, indicating three scratch marks on it. … Machoke looked at it and went still, the marks were from one of the Ogre's followers and it was fresh, but the berries were still there, why hadn't that thing taken them….this was a trap! As soon as he realized what they were planning he looked at the Machop and saw that it had returned to looking into the direction the claw marks were…it had been standing guard in a non-threatening way in case they were being watched. Looking at the Machop it shook its head at him and gestured absently, there weren't anything at this time but they should hurry.

"Machoke! Macho Choke!" He barked at the Pokemon in the clearing and the Machops stood still for a few seconds before nodding and held their weapons tighter and nodded, each of them looking about and moving closer to the Chanesy as each of them moved to fill the remaining baskets as fast as they could. Machoke looked on with pride as his soldiers moved about and protected their charges as the spear wielder looked back at him and nodded before looking around quickly. Machoke looked at the spear wielder as it stood up and looked around, a strange feeling growing in its heart. _What's wrong, wait…it couldn't have, could it?_ The Machoke thought before a roar caused him to turn and curse.

Machoke looked towards where the roar had come from and stared as fifteen Goblins charged at them. He grinned and pointed his sword at the attackers bellowed a war cry that was answered by his soldiers and ten of them charged with him as the Chanseys ran in the opposite direction of the attackers and he scowled as the spear wielder stayed when he was. He would deal with that one after the battle and ran towards the attackers when a roar came from behind him, stopping him cold. He turned and stared as five more of the Goblins charged, shocked at what he was seeing. They charged at the Chanseys as he stared shocked, the markings had been a trap, first let them see it and then attack from the opposite direction of the main push, all to let them ambush the Chanseys, it couldn't let the larger force kill his soldiers, but it had to protect the non-combatants; what could he do.

The spear wielder merely got up and took a stance and suddenly shot forward and with an aura comet trailing it as crashed into the Goblins and killed one, speared through its head before using the momentum to swing in a circle and drive back the rest of them as the Chanseys huddled by the log.

"Machop, Ma Chop!" The Spear wielder called out as it looked at Machoke with a grin on its face as Machoke stared at it in shock. Deal with the first group and let it handle these four?! As Machoke stared the spear wielder kicked its legs out and rotated its arms as the remaining Goblins looked at it with shock before it charged at them, swinging its weapon as it drove them back. The other Machoke stared before laughing and charged at the other force, smiling as it saw its soldiers had killed two of them. When it reached them it swung out with its sword and cut the head off on another one and broke the guard of another one letting another Machop slice into its head and kill it. The Machoke nodded at its soldier before he roared and charged at the Goblins, a savage joy filling its heart as it fought and killed.

The spear wielder looked back at his _leader_ and kept a sigh down as he fought against the Goblins, wounding another of them in the right eye before clubbing another as it tried to get by him to get at the healers; he was starting to see just why the Champion had sent him to watch over that one, after losing some of their forces to attack the old Ogre and its spawn after they killed a Tropius and feasted on their kill, it was smart but it would have been better to follow them and finally find the Ogre's new lair. As another of the four Goblins charged at him the spear wielder jumped backwards and slashed its top eye and as it screeched in pain and the other three charged at the spear wielder and he grinned, his own battle lust coming up.

As Machoke cut a Goblin in two it saw that its soldiers had killed another two and were starting to double team the remaining Goblins, stepping backwards he saw the spear wielder kill another of the Goblins and the last three stammer backwards before they broke and ran from the battle. The spear wielder turned to look at him and he gestured towards the Chanseys the spear wielder nodded and turning back to the battle he saw that only four Goblins remained he laughed as he charged at the remaining four. Two of the Goblins looked at the other two before looking at each other and they roared before charging at Machoke. The charging two ran at him jumped at him and he laughed and sliced one in two and kicked the other to the side into a tree with a lightning quick movement. Turning back he saw the last two Goblins running away and he laughed as his soldiers cheered. As the Chanseys moved to pick up the dropped fruit Machoke gestures to five of his followers to help them as the rest of them looked around, waiting for an attack by anything else.

The three Goblins ran until they couldn't, finally stopping their flight before a small creek and one roared and slammed a hand against a tree "WAAGRELA!" It cried as one of the others slumped down and shook as the last one splashed water on its face. The one at the water looked around, hoping to find anything that they might bring back as tribute to the Ogre. It saw the expressions on the others faces and knew that they were thinking it as well. Since a large amount of the others had been killed by those traitors who betrayed the old one and the one with the dead eye was bringing back smaller and smaller food with the other parties bring back more, they needed to find a better food source and the plants might have been a good source but the creatures were guarding it.

"C'Vorlog." A deep voice behind caused them to turn and see the Ogre looking at them with a look of concern. The one by the water stared as the others started to tell the Ogre what had happened and the Ogre nodded and walked towards them. The one by the stream looked at the old one and moved backwards slowly, something in him telling him that this was wrong, that something was very wrong. As one of the two Goblins turned and pointed towards the berries the Ogre suddenly thrust its right hand through the Goblin's body and held it's still beating heart before crushing it. Looking at the Goblin closest to it the Ogre opened its mouth and sent a blast of a black liquid at it, covering its face and causing it to scream as the poison burnt the Goblins face. The remaining Goblin stepped backwards and turned and started to run before coughing out blood as the Ogre's arm speared the Goblin before the Ogre tore the Goblin's head from its shoulders. The Ogre looked around and started to eat the corpses, hoping that the flesh it returned to its body would fuel the birth of stronger _slaves_ once it was done. A sound caused the Ogre to stop and look around before seeing a small rabbit run away from a bush and it shrugged and went back to eating before washing off and walking back to its lair.

Deadeye looked at the two Goblins who were staring with wide eyes it he kept its hands over their mouths before removing them after the Ogre left and watched as they reacted to what they all had seen. As one of them threw up Deadeye grabbed its shoulder and squeezed it, both of them looking at him with shell-shocked expressions on their faces, Deadeye looking at with a worried look on its face but inside it was happy to have more 'pawns'. Deadeye cleared its throat and smiled at the two of them, prepared to get them to follow it.

Later on Deadeye brought them through the passage way to the castle it had claimed and it saw the others waiting for them, Left and Right both had their spears in hand and for saluted with their free hands as the others welcomed the Goblins to the castle. Left started to chat at Deadeye and Right grabbed Deadeye and pulled it towards the castle the others followed after them as the two Goblins were passed a few plants as food. Deadeye looked at the castle as they neared it and saw that they had started to repair sections of it. _Good, their keeping busy. Still if that one is willing to eat our own then everything it told us was a lie. That weakling is gone so that's good but the Old one has gone crazy! But what could those two have found that's made them so…excited._ Deadeye thought as it followed the others into the castle, never noticing a shadow with wings for arms had landed on the castle wall.

Deadeye followed Left and Right into the castle, the others following until they reached a doorway that the two opened to revealed a room full of weapons. As Deadeye looked about a two short swords caught its eye and picking them up it grinned and started to slice imaginary enemies. Deadeye laughed and the others cooed until they stopped when a deep chuckle came around before sparks hit them from the rooms Window.

 **[Well, is the idea of a new weapon so much o great one?]** They heard before Deadeye looked around as they tried to figure out where the _voice_ had come from. Deadeye growled until another spark hit it.

 **[Oh my, are you not able to understand how I'm talking with you?]** Deadeye looked around and snarled before the sound of something caused all of them to turn towards the door and see a shadow move away from it. Deadeye charged after it and suddenly four feathers shot at it. Deadeye blocked the feathers with the swords and saw a shadow move up stairs, Deadeye charged after it with the others following. As Deadeye charged onto the roof of the castle a chuckle before a mass seven wet masses of flesh suddenly hit the roof in front of Deadeye as the other Goblins made it onto the roof before sparks hit all of them.

 **[Here, eat and know what you are and what you can do.]** The voice 'said' before Deadeye looked at the others before one of the new Goblins grabbed one of the masses and ate it. It went still before it looked at the others and a spark of blue energy shot from it to the others.

 **[Eat, eat and know all that the Old One kept from us.]** The others 'heard' before Deadeye ate the masses, going still as knowledge. Deadeye _saw_ everything that it didn't know, how the blessing was the birthright of their entire kind, how they were all its _spawn_ and how it denied all of them even the right to _converse_ with their kindred. As the others started to growl at the ways that the Ogre had controlled them and with a snarl on its face it turned around and tried to find the source of the _messages_. The sound of a figure jumping caused them to look up and see a humanoid figure with wings for arms, a beak and four talons on its feet, its body covered in black feathers. Deadeye looked at the figure as it sent a bolt of energy at it.

 **[Greetings, I am would be known to you as Shadow-Wing, oh Lord of this place.]** Deadeye looked at the Chimera and sent a bolt back at it.

 **[I thank you for the gift you have given me and mine Shadow-Wing, but I would ask why?]** Shadow-Wing looked at Deadeye and chuckled before it sent a bolt back.

 **[We're the same you know, we both have leaders who would destroy us, I believe that you would want to live. My proposal is that we destroy them first, I would help you and then you would help me by killing those who would block my own ascension, and the commanded might would be under your control.]** Deadeye looked at Shadow-Wing and thought hard and looked at the others before sending bolts at all of them, telling them what Shadow-Wing had told it. Right and Left looked at each other and had a conversation of quick bolts while Brute looked into nothingness while Clawer had a look of complication as it thought about what it now knew, the other two looking around surprise. After a while Right sent sparks at the others before they all nodded and it sent a bolt at Deadeye.

 **[Lord, you brought us here and gave us a new beginning, what you desire we shall do.]** Deadeye looked at them and turned back to Shadow-Wing and grinned before sending a bolt at it.

 **[Then let us plan how we will kill the Ogre, perhaps by letting our two problems kill each other?]** Shadow-Wing r returns Deadeye's grin, both of them thinking out to use the other to their advantage.


End file.
